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Zheng J, Lu W, Wang C, Chen S, Zhang Q, Su C. Unfolding the mysteries of heterogeneity from a high-resolution perspective: integration analysis of single-cell multi-omics and spatial omics revealed functionally heterogeneous cancer cells in ccRCC. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:10943-10971. [PMID: 38944814 PMCID: PMC11272124 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205974] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
The genomic landscape of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has a considerable intra-tumor heterogeneity, which is a significant obstacle in the field of precision oncology and plays a pivotal role in metastasis, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance of cancer. The mechanisms of intra-tumor heterogeneity in ccRCC have yet to be fully established. We integrated single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq) data from a single-cell multi-omics perspective. Based on consensus non-negative matrix factorization (cNMF) algorithm, functionally heterogeneous cancer cells were classified into metabolism, inflammatory, and EMT meta programs, with spatial transcriptomics sequencing (stRNA-seq) providing spatial information of such disparate meta programs of cancer cells. The bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed high clinical prognostic values of functionally heterogeneous cancer cells of three meta programs, with transcription factor regulatory network and motif activities revealing the key transcription factors that regulate functionally heterogeneous ccRCC cells. The interactions between varying meta programs and other cell subpopulations in the microenvironment were investigated. Finally, we assessed the sensitivity of cancer cells of disparate meta programs to different anti-cancer agents. Our findings inform on the intra-tumor heterogeneity of ccRCC and its regulatory networks and offers new perspectives to facilitate the designs of rational therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wenhao Lu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Chengbang Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Department of Urology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qingyun Zhang
- Department of Urology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Cheng Su
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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Song J, Zheng J, Li Z, Fu L, Yang J, Li K, Yu X, Lv B, Du J, Huang Y, Jin H. Sulfur dioxide inhibits mast cell degranulation by sulphenylation of galectin-9 at cysteine 74. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1369326. [PMID: 38953022 PMCID: PMC11215078 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1369326] [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: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Mast cell (MC) degranulation is a key process in allergic reactions and inflammatory responses. Aspartate aminotransferase 1 (AAT1)-derived endogenous sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an important regulator of MC function. However, the mechanism underlying its role in MC degranulation remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which endogenous SO2 controlled MC degranulation. Methods HMC-1 and Rat basophilic leukemia cell MC line (RBL-2H3) were used in the cell experiments. SO2 content was detected by in situ fluorescent probe. MC degranulation represented by the release rate of MC β-hexosaminidase was determined using a colorimetric assay. Sulfenylation of galectin-9 (Gal-9) in MCs and purified protein was detected using a biotin switch assay. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determine the exact sulfenylation sites of Gal-9 by SO2. Animal models of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and hypoxia-driven pulmonary vascular remodeling were used to investigate the effect of SO2 on mast cell activation in vivo. Site-directed mutation of Gal-9 was conducted to confirm the exact site of SO2 and support the significance of SO2/Gal-9 signal axis in the regulation of MC degranulation. Results Degranulation was increased in AAT1-knockdowned MCs, and SO2 supplementation reversed the increase in MC degranulation. Furthermore, deficiency of endogenous SO2 contributed to IgE-mediated degranulation in vitro. Besides, SO2 inhibited IgE-mediated and hypoxia-driven MC degranulation in vivo. Mechanistically, LC-MS/MS analysis and site-directed mutation results showed that SO2 sulfenylated Gal-9 at cysteine 74. Sulfenylation of the 74th cysteine of Gal-9 protein was required in the SO2-inhibited MC degranulation under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Conclusion These findings elucidated that SO2 inhibited MC degranulation via sulfenylating Gal-9 under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, which might provide a novel treatment approach for MC activation-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaru Song
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zongmin Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Science Beijing, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Science Beijing, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoqi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Boyang Lv
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junbao Du
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqian Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongfang Jin
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Wang R, Peng X, Yuan Y, Shi B, Liu Y, Ni H, Guo W, Yang Q, Liu P, Wang J, Su Z, Yu S, Liu D, Zhang J, Xia J, Liu X, Li H, Yang Z, Peng Z. Dynamic immune recovery process after liver transplantation revealed by single-cell multi-omics analysis. Innovation (N Y) 2024; 5:100599. [PMID: 38510071 PMCID: PMC10952083 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2024.100599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the temporal process of immune remodeling under immunosuppressive treatment after liver transplantation (LT) is critical for precise clinical management strategies. Here, we performed a single-cell multi-omics analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from LT patients (with and without acute cellular rejection [ACR]) at 13 time points. Validation was performed in two independent cohorts with additional LT patients and healthy controls. Our study revealed a four-phase recovery process after LT and delineated changes in immune cell composition, expression programs, and interactions along this process. The intensity of the immune response differs between the ACR and non-ACR patients. Notably, the newly identified inflamed NK cells, CD14+RNASE2+ monocytes, and FOS-expressing monocytes emerged as predictive indicators of ACR. This study illuminates the longitudinal evolution of the immune cell landscape under tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive treatment during LT recovery, providing a four-phase framework that aids the clinical management of LT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xiao Peng
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yixin Yuan
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Baojie Shi
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Hengxiao Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Qiwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Pingguo Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zhaojie Su
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Shengnan Yu
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Dehua Liu
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jinyan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Junjie Xia
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xueni Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Hao Li
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zhengfeng Yang
- Precision Research Center for Refractory Diseases, Institute for Clinical Research, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Zhihai Peng
- Organ Transplantation Clinical Medical Center of Xiamen University, Department of General Surgery, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Organ Transplantation Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen Human Organ Transplantation Quality Control Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Regeneration Medicine, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ and Tissue Regeneration, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
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DeVito NC, Nguyen YV, Sturdivant M, Plebanek MP, Howell K, Yarla N, Jain V, Aksu M, Beasley G, Theivanthiran B, Hanks BA. Gli2 Facilitates Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapeutic Resistance by Coordinating Wnt Ligand and Prostaglandin Signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.31.587500. [PMID: 38617347 PMCID: PMC11014473 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.31.587500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Therapeutic resistance to immune checkpoint blockade has been commonly linked to the process of mesenchymal transformation (MT) and remains a prevalent obstacle across many cancer types. An improved mechanistic understanding for MT-mediated immune evasion promises to lead to more effective combination therapeutic regimens. Herein, we identify the Hedgehog transcription factor, Gli2, as a key node of tumor-mediated immune evasion and immunotherapy resistance during MT. Mechanistic studies reveal that Gli2 generates an immunotolerant tumor microenvironment through the upregulation of Wnt ligand production and increased prostaglandin synthesis. This pathway drives the recruitment, viability, and function of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) while also impairing type I conventional dendritic cell, CD8 + T cell, and NK cell functionality. Pharmacologic EP2/EP4 prostaglandin receptor inhibition and Wnt ligand inhibition each reverses a subset of these effects, while preventing primary and adaptive resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, respectively. A transcriptional Gli2 signature correlates with resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in stage IV melanoma patients, providing a translational roadmap to direct combination immunotherapeutics in the clinic. SIGNIFICANCE Gli2-induced EMT promotes immune evasion and immunotherapeutic resistance via coordinated prostaglandin and Wnt signaling.
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Tarallo D, Martínez J, Leyva A, Mónaco A, Perroni C, Tassano M, Gambini JP, Cappetta M, Durán R, Moreno M, Quijano C. Mitofusin 1 silencing decreases the senescent associated secretory phenotype, promotes immune cell recruitment and delays melanoma tumor growth after chemotherapy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:909. [PMID: 38195762 PMCID: PMC10776601 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51427-7] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a therapy endpoint in melanoma, and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) can affect tumor growth and microenvironment, influencing treatment outcomes. Metabolic interventions can modulate the SASP, and mitochondrial energy metabolism supports resistance to therapy in melanoma. In a previous report we showed that senescence, induced by the DNA methylating agent temozolomide, increased the level of fusion proteins mitofusin 1 and 2 in melanoma, and silencing Mfn1 or Mfn2 expression reduced interleukin-6 secretion by senescent cells. Here we expanded these observations evaluating the secretome of senescent melanoma cells using shotgun proteomics, and explored the impact of silencing Mfn1 on the SASP. A significant increase in proteins reported to reduce the immune response towards the tumor was found in the media of senescent cells. The secretion of several of these immunomodulatory proteins was affected by Mfn1 silencing, among them was galectin-9. In agreement, tumors lacking mitofusin 1 responded better to treatment with the methylating agent dacarbazine, tumor size was reduced and a higher immune cell infiltration was detected in the tumor. Our results highlight mitochondrial dynamic proteins as potential pharmacological targets to modulate the SASP in the context of melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doménica Tarallo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Jennyfer Martínez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alejandro Leyva
- Institut Pasteur de Montevideo and Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Amy Mónaco
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carolina Perroni
- Area Radiofarmacia, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcos Tassano
- Area Radiofarmacia, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Juan Pablo Gambini
- Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM) and Centro de Medicina Nuclear (CMN), Hospital de Clínicas Dr. Manuel Quintela, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mónica Cappetta
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Rosario Durán
- Institut Pasteur de Montevideo and Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María Moreno
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Celia Quijano
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Chen C, Wang C, Pang R, Liu H, Yin W, Chen J, Tao L. Comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic and proteomic analysis reveals NK cell exhaustion and unique tumor cell evolutionary trajectory in non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma. J Transl Med 2023; 21:278. [PMID: 37098551 PMCID: PMC10127506 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04112-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonkeratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NK-NPC) has a strong association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The role of NK cells and the tumor cell evolutionary trajectory in NK-NPC remain unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate the function of NK cell and the evolutionary trajectory of tumor cells in NK-NPC by single-cell transcriptomic analysis, proteomics and immunohistochemistry. METHODS NK-NPC (n = 3) and normal nasopharyngeal mucosa cases (n = 3) were collected for proteomic analysis. Single-cell transcriptomic data of NK-NPC (n = 10) and nasopharyngeal lymphatic hyperplasia (NLH, n = 3) were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE162025 and GSE150825). Quality control, dimension reduction and clustering were based on Seurat software (v4.0.2) process and batch effects were removed by harmony (v0.1.1) software. Normal cells of nasopharyngeal mucosa and tumor cells of NK-NPC were identified using copykat software (v1.0.8). Cell-cell interactions were explored using CellChat software (v1.4.0). Tumor cell evolutionary trajectory analysis was performed using SCORPIUS software (v1.0.8). Protein and gene function enrichment analyses were performed using clusterProfiler software (v4.2.2). RESULTS A total of 161 differentially expressed proteins were obtained between NK-NPC (n = 3) and normal nasopharyngeal mucosa (n = 3) by proteomics (log2 fold change > 0.5 and P value < 0.05). Most of proteins associated with the nature killer cell mediated cytotoxicity pathway were downregulated in the NK-NPC group. In single cell transcriptomics, we identified three NK cell subsets (NK1-3), among which NK cell exhaustion was identified in the NK3 subset with high ZNF683 expression (a signature of tissue-resident NK cell) in NK-NPC. We demonstrated the presence of this ZNF683 + NK cell subset in NK-NPC but not in NLH. We also performed immunohistochemical experiments with TIGIT and LAG3 to confirm NK cell exhaustion in NK-NPC. Moreover, the trajectory analysis revealed that the evolutionary trajectory of NK-NPC tumor cells was associated with the status of EBV infection (active or latent). The analysis of cell-cell interactions uncovered a complex network of cellular interactions in NK-NPC. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed that the NK cell exhaustion might be induced by upregulation of inhibitory receptors on the surface of NK cells in NK-NPC. Treatments for the reversal of NK cell exhaustion may be a promising strategy for NK-NPC. Meanwhile, we identified a unique evolutionary trajectory of tumor cells with active status of EBV-infection in NK-NPC for the first time. Our study may provide new immunotherapeutic targets and new sight of evolutionary trajectory involving tumor genesis, development and metastasis in NK-NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuimin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chun Wang
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruifang Pang
- Department of Precision Research Institute, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huanyu Liu
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weihua Yin
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiakang Chen
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Lili Tao
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
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Morishita A, Oura K, Tadokoro T, Shi T, Fujita K, Tani J, Atsukawa M, Masaki T. Galectin-9 in Gastroenterological Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076174. [PMID: 37047155 PMCID: PMC10094448 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunochemotherapy has become popular in recent years. The detailed mechanisms of cancer immunity are being elucidated, and new developments are expected in the future. Apoptosis allows tissues to maintain their form, quantity, and function by eliminating excess or abnormal cells. When apoptosis is inhibited, the balance between cell division and death is disrupted and tissue homeostasis is impaired. This leads to dysfunction and the accumulation of genetically abnormal cells, which can contribute to carcinogenesis. Lectins are neither enzymes nor antibodies but proteins that bind sugar chains. Among soluble endogenous lectins, galectins interact with cell surface sugar chains outside the cell to regulate signal transduction and cell growth. On the other hand, intracellular lectins are present at the plasma membrane and regulate signal transduction by regulating receptor–ligand interactions. Galectin-9 expressed on the surface of thymocytes induces apoptosis of T lymphocytes and plays an essential role in immune self-tolerance by negative selection in the thymus. Furthermore, the administration of extracellular galectin-9 induces apoptosis of human cancer and immunodeficient cells. However, the detailed pharmacokinetics of galectin-9 in vivo have not been elucidated. In addition, the cell surface receptors involved in galectin-9-induced apoptosis of cancer cells have not been identified, and the intracellular pathways involved in apoptosis have not been fully investigated. We have previously reported that galectin-9 induces apoptosis in various gastrointestinal cancers and suppresses tumor growth. However, the mechanism of galectin-9 and apoptosis induction in gastrointestinal cancers and the detailed mechanisms involved in tumor growth inhibition remain unknown. In this article, we review the effects of galectin-9 on gastrointestinal cancers and its mechanisms.
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Rahmati A, Bigam S, Elahi S. Galectin-9 promotes natural killer cells activity via interaction with CD44. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1131379. [PMID: 37006235 PMCID: PMC10060867 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1131379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are a potent innate source of cytokines and cytoplasmic granules. Their effector functions are tightly synchronized by the balance between the stimulatory and inhibitory receptors. Here, we quantified the proportion of NK cells and the surface presence of Galectin-9 (Gal-9) from the bone marrow, blood, liver, spleen, and lungs of adult and neonatal mice. We also examined the effector functions of Gal-9+NK cells compared with their Gal-9- counterparts. Our results revealed that Gal-9+NK cells are more abundant in tissues, in particular, in the liver than in the blood and bone marrow. We found Gal-9 presence was associated with enhanced cytotoxic effector molecules granzyme B (GzmB) and perforin expression. Likewise, Gal-9 expressing NK cells displayed greater IFN-γ and TNF-α expression than their negative counterparts under hemostatic circumstances. Notably, the expansion of Gal-9+NK cells in the spleen of mice infected with E. coli implies that Gal-9+NK cells may provide a protective role against infection. Similarly, we found the expansion of Gal-9+NK cells in the spleen and tumor tissues of melanoma B16-F10 mice. Mechanistically, our results revealed the interaction of Gal-9 with CD44 as noted by their co-expression/co-localization. Subsequently, this interaction resulted in enhanced expression of Phospho-LCK, ERK, Akt, MAPK, and mTOR in NK cells. Moreover, we found Gal-9+NK cells exhibited an activated phenotype as evidenced by increased CD69, CD25, and Sca-1 but reduced KLRG1 expression. Likewise, we found Gal-9 preferentially interacts with CD44high in human NK cells. Despite this interaction, we noted a dichotomy in terms of effector functions in NK cells from COVID-19 patients. We observed that the presence of Gal-9 on NK cells resulted in a greater IFN-γ expression without any changes in cytolytic molecule expression in these patients. These observations suggest differences in Gal-9+NK cell effector functions between mice and humans that should be considered in different physiological and pathological conditions. Therefore, our results highlight the important role of Gal-9 via CD44 in NK cell activation, which suggests Gal-9 is a potential new avenue for the development of therapeutic approaches to modulate NK cell effector functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Rahmati
- School of Dentistry, Division of Foundational Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Steven Bigam
- School of Dentistry, Division of Foundational Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Shokrollah Elahi
- School of Dentistry, Division of Foundational Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Shokrollah Elahi,
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YUAN Z, GIRON LB, HART C, GYAMPOH A, KOSHY J, HONG KY, NIKI T, PREMEAUX TA, NDHLOVU LC, DELEAGE C, MONTANER LJ, ABDEL-MOHSEN M. Human galectin-9 promotes the expansion of HIV reservoirs in vivo in humanized mice. AIDS 2023; 37:571-577. [PMID: 36460646 PMCID: PMC9975043 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The human endogenous protein galectin-9 (Gal-9) reactivates latently HIV-infected cells in vitro and ex vivo , which may allow for immune-mediated clearance of these cells. However, Gal-9 also activates several immune cells, which could negatively affect HIV persistence by promoting chronic activation/exhaustion. This potential 'double-edged sword' effect of Gal-9 raises the question of the overall impact of Gal-9 on HIV persistence in vivo . DESIGN We used the BLT (bone marrow, liver, thymus) humanized mouse model to evaluate the impact of Gal-9 on HIV persistence in vivo during antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS Two independent cohorts of ART-suppressed HIV-infected BLT mice were treated with either recombinant Gal-9 or phosphate-buffered saline control. Plasma viral loads and levels of tissue-associated HIV DNA and RNA were measured by qPCR. Immunohistochemistry and HIV RNAscope were used to quantify CD4 + T, myeloid, and HIV RNA+ cells in tissues. T cell activation and exhaustion were measured by flow cytometry, and plasma markers of inflammation were measured by multiplex cytokine arrays. RESULTS Gal-9 did not induce plasma markers of inflammation or T cell markers of activation/exhaustion in vivo . However, the treatment significantly increased levels of tissue-associated HIV DNA and RNA compared to controls ( P = 0.0007 and P = 0.011, respectively, for cohort I and P = 0.002 and P = 0.005, respectively, for cohort II). RNAscope validated the Gal-9 mediated induction of HIV RNA in tissue-associated myeloid cells, but not T cells. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the overall adverse effects of Gal-9 on HIV persistence and the potential need to block Gal-9 interactions during ART-suppressed HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe YUAN
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Colin HART
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Jane KOSHY
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Toshiro NIKI
- Department of Immunology and Immunopathology, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Thomas A. PREMEAUX
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lishomwa C. NDHLOVU
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claire DELEAGE
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research
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10
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Yao K, Zhou E, Schaafsma E, Zhang B, Cheng C. Immune checkpoint gene VSIR predicts patient prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Cancer Med 2023; 12:5590-5602. [PMID: 36394080 PMCID: PMC10028170 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5409] [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: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint proteins play critical functions during the immune response to cancer and have been targeted by immune checkpoint blockade therapy. V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VSIR) is one of these immune checkpoint genes and has been investigated extensively in recent years due to its conflicting roles in cancer immunity. Specifically, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the prognostic value of VSIR is debated. RESULTS In both patient tumor samples and cancer cell lines we find that VSIR has the highest expression in AML out of all cancer types and, in AML, has the highest expression out of all other immune checkpoint genes. Survival analysis indicated that AML patients with higher VSIR expression have significantly shorter survival than those patients with lower expression, even within established AML subgroups (e.g., FAB subtypes). Importantly, VSIR expression is predictive of progression from myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients into AML, suggesting its potential role during the very early stage of AML development and progression. In addition to AML, VSIR also demonstrates prognostic values in other cancer types, including multiple myeloma and mesothelioma. CONCLUSION In summary, our analyses revealed the prognostic value of VSIR and its potential as a target for immunotherapy, especially in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Yao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Emily Zhou
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Evelien Schaafsma
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Baoyi Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Institute for Clinical and Transcriptional Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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11
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Kapetanakis NI, Busson P. Galectins as pivotal components in oncogenesis and immune exclusion in human malignancies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1145268. [PMID: 36817445 PMCID: PMC9935586 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1145268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectins are galactoside-binding proteins, exerting numerous functions inside and outside the cell, particularly conferring adaptation to stress factors. For most of them, aberrant expression profiles have been reported in the context of cancer. Albeit not being oncogenic drivers, galectins can be harnessed to exacerbate the malignant phenotype. Their impact on disease establishment and progression is not limited to making cancer cells resistant to apoptosis, but is prominent in the context of the tumor microenvironment, where it fosters angiogenesis, immune escape and exclusion. This review focuses mainly on Gal-1, Gal-3 and Gal-9 for which the involvement in cancer biology is best known. It presents the types of galectin dysregulations, attempts to explain the mechanisms behind them and analyzes the different ways in which they favor tumour growth. In an era where tumour resistance to immunotherapy appears as a major challenge, we highlight the crucial immunosuppressive roles of galectins and the potential therapeutic benefits of combinatorial approaches including galectin inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikiforos-Ioannis Kapetanakis
- Research & Development (R&D), 4D Lifetec, Cham, Switzerland,*Correspondence: Nikiforos-Ioannis Kapetanakis, ; Pierre Busson,
| | - Pierre Busson
- Host-Tumor Interactions in Head and Neck Carcinoma: Exploration and Therapeutic Modulations, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche(UMR) 9018 - METabolic and SYstemic aspects of oncogenesis for new therapeutic approaches (METSY), Gustave Roussy and Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France,*Correspondence: Nikiforos-Ioannis Kapetanakis, ; Pierre Busson,
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12
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Tsai MT, Yang RB, Ou SM, Tseng WC, Lee KH, Yang CY, Chang FP, Tarng DC. Plasma Galectin-9 Is a Useful Biomarker for Predicting Renal Function in Patients Undergoing Native Kidney Biopsy. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2023; 147:167-176. [PMID: 35687787 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2021-0466-oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT.— Galectin-9 reduces tissue damage in certain immune-mediated glomerular diseases. However, its role in structural and functional renal changes in patients with varying types of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is less clear. OBJECTIVE.— To investigate the association between plasma galectin-9 levels, proteinuria, tubulointerstitial lesions, and renal function in different CKD stages. DESIGN.— We measured plasma galectin-9 levels in 243 patients undergoing renal biopsy for determining the CKD etiology. mRNA and protein expression levels of intrarenal galectin-9 were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining. Relationships between plasma galectin-9, clinical characteristics, and tubulointerstitial damage were analyzed with logistic regression. We investigated galectin-9 expression patterns in vitro in murine J774 macrophages treated with differing stimuli. RESULTS.— To analyze the relationship between galectin-9 and clinical features, we divided the patients into 2 groups according to median plasma galectin-9 levels. The high galectin-9 group tended to be older and to have decreased renal function, higher proteinuria, and greater interstitial fibrosis. After multivariable adjustment, elevated plasma galectin-9 levels were independently associated with stage 3b or higher CKD. An analysis of gene expression in the tubulointerstitial compartment in the biopsy samples showed a significant positive correlation between intrarenal galectin-9 mRNA expression and plasma galectin-9 levels. Immunohistochemistry confirmed increased galectin-9 expression in the renal interstitium of patients with advanced CKD, and most galectin-9-positive cells were macrophages, as determined by double-immunofluorescence staining. In vitro experiments showed that galectin-9 expression in macrophages was significantly increased after interferon-γ stimulation. CONCLUSIONS.— Our findings suggest that plasma galectin-9 is a good biomarker for diagnosing advanced CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Tsun Tsai
- From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Tsai and R-B Yang contributed equally to this manuscript
| | - Ruey-Bing Yang
- From the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (R-B Yang).,Tsai and R-B Yang contributed equally to this manuscript
| | - Shuo-Ming Ou
- From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Cheng Tseng
- From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Hua Lee
- From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yu Yang
- From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Pang Chang
- From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Chang), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Der-Cherng Tarng
- From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine (Tsai, Ou, Tseng, Lee, C-Y Yang, Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,From the Department and Institute of Physiology (Tarng), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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13
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Zheng S, Song J, Linghu D, Yang R, Liu B, Xue Z, Chen Q, Liu C, Zhong D, Hung MC, Sun L. Galectin-9 blockade synergizes with ATM inhibition to induce potent anti-tumor immunity. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:981-993. [PMID: 36778120 PMCID: PMC9909994 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.79852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although current cancer immunotherapies that target PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint to reinvigorate exhausted T cells have achieved impressive clinical outcomes, only a small proportion of patients respond. New therapeutic targets are therefore needed to be identified to further unleash the anti-tumor potential of T cells and benefit more patients. Galectin-9 (Gal-9), initially identified as a ligand for TIM-3 to induce T cell death, acts as an immunosuppressive regulator in the tumor microenvironment (TME) but its potential as a therapeutic target remains largely elusive. Here we show that antibody neutralization of Gal-9, in combination with inhibition of Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a kinase essential for DNA damage response (DDR), is a promising modality for cancer immunotherapy. Genetic depletion of ATM in tumors markedly potentiated anti-Gal-9 therapy in a syngeneic mouse model. Mechanistically, ATM inhibition greatly upregulated Gal-9 expression and secretion in a variety of human and murine tumor cells via the cGAS-STING-interferon β (IFNβ) innate immune pathway. Combination of Gal-9 inhibition with AZD1390, a selective ATM inhibitor currently evaluated in clinical trials, significantly suppressed tumor growth and prolonged survival in multiple syngeneic mouse models, including the poorly-immunogenic LLC lung tumors that do not respond to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, concomitant with increased T cell infiltration. These results reveal Gal-9 induction via STING/IFNβ signaling as an important mechanism mediating tumor immune escape that could be targeted for cancer immunotherapies, and unveil a novel anti-Gal-9-based combination strategy for cancer immunotherapies in a wide variety of malignancies, including those resistant to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Zheng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Jiaming Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Dongli Linghu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China.,Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Riyao Yang
- Antibody Therapeutics, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Boning Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Xue
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Qihui Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Chengjie Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Diansheng Zhong
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China.,Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
| | - Mien-Chie Hung
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Linlin Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P. R. China
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14
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Shete A, Bhat M, Sawant J, Deshpande S. Both N- and C-terminal domains of galectin-9 are capable of inducing HIV reactivation despite mediating differential immunomodulatory functionalities. Front Immunol 2022; 13:994830. [PMID: 36569879 PMCID: PMC9772452 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.994830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The shock-and-kill strategy for HIV cure requires the reactivation of latent HIV followed by the killing of the reactivated cellular reservoir. Galectin-9, an immunomodulatory protein, is shown to induce HIV reactivation as well as contribute to non-AIDS- and AIDS-defining events. The protein is prone to cleavage by inflammatory proteases at its linker region separating the N- and C-terminal carbohydrate-binding domains (N- and C-CRDs) which differ in their binding specificities. It is important to study the activity of its cleaved as well as uncleaved forms in mediating HIV reactivation and immunomodulation in order to understand their role in HIV pathogenesis and their further utilization for the shock-and-kill strategy. Methodology The PBMCs of HIV patients on virally suppressive ART (n = 11) were stimulated using 350 nM of the full-length protein and N- and C-CRDs of Gal-9. HIV reactivation was determined by analyzing gag RNA copies using qPCR using isolated CD4 cells and intracellular P24 staining of PBMCs by flow cytometry. Cytokine responses induced by the full-length protein and N- and C-CRDs of Gal-9 were also assessed by flow cytometry, Luminex, and gene expression assays. Changes in T helper cell gene expression pattern after the stimulation were also determined by real-time PCR array. Results Both N- and C-CRDs of galectin-9 induced HIV reactivation in addition to the full-length galectin-9 protein. The two domains elicited higher cytokine responses than the full-length protein, possibly capable of mediating higher perturbations in the immune system if used for HIV reactivation. N-CRD was found to induce the development of Treg cells, whereas C-CRD inhibited the induction of Treg cells. Despite this, both domains elicited IL-10 secretory response although targeting different CD4 cell phenotypes. Conclusion N- and C-CRDs were found to induce HIV reactivation similar to that of the full-length protein, indicating their possible usefulness in the shock-and-kill strategy. The study indicated an anti-inflammatory role of N-CRD versus the proinflammatory properties of C-CRD of galectin-9 in HIV infection.
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15
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A roadmap for translational cancer glycoimmunology at single cell resolution. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:143. [PMID: 35428302 PMCID: PMC9013178 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02335-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells can evade immune responses by exploiting inhibitory immune checkpoints. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies based on anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies have been extensively explored over the recent years to unleash otherwise compromised anti-cancer immune responses. However, it is also well established that immune suppression is a multifactorial process involving an intricate crosstalk between cancer cells and the immune systems. The cancer glycome is emerging as a relevant source of immune checkpoints governing immunosuppressive behaviour in immune cells, paving an avenue for novel immunotherapeutic options. This review addresses the current state-of-the-art concerning the role played by glycans controlling innate and adaptive immune responses, while shedding light on available experimental models for glycoimmunology. We also emphasize the tremendous progress observed in the development of humanized models for immunology, the paramount contribution of advances in high-throughput single-cell analysis in this context, and the importance of including predictive machine learning algorithms in translational research. This may constitute an important roadmap for glycoimmunology, supporting careful adoption of models foreseeing clinical translation of fundamental glycobiology knowledge towards next generation immunotherapies.
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16
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Chu CM, Yu HH, Kao TL, Chen YH, Lu HH, Wu ET, Yang YL, Lin CH, Lin SY, Tsai MJM, Chien YH, Hwu WL, Chen WP, Lee NC, Tseng CK. A missense variant in the nuclear localization signal of DKC1 causes Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome. NPJ Genom Med 2022; 7:64. [PMID: 36309505 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-022-00335-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HHS) is the most severe form of dyskeratosis congenita (DC) and is caused by mutations in genes involved in telomere maintenance. Here, we identified male siblings from a family with HHS carrying a hemizygous mutation (c.1345C > G, p.R449G), located in the C-terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS) of the DKC1 gene. These patients exhibit progressive cerebellar hypoplasia, recurrent infections, pancytopenia due to bone marrow failure, and short leukocyte telomere lengths. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis suggested defects in the NLRP3 inflammasome in monocytes and the activation and maturation of NK cells and B cells. In experiments using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients, DKC1_R449G iPSCs had short telomere lengths due to reduced levels of human telomerase RNA (hTR) and increased cytosolic proportions of DKC1. Treatment with dihydroquinolizinone RG7834 and 3'deoxyanosine cordycepin rescued telomere length in patient-derived iPSCs. Together, our findings not only provide new insights into immunodeficiency in DC patients but also provide treatment options for telomerase insufficiency disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Mei Chu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hui Yu
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Ling Kao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Chen
- Center for Frontier Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Hsuan Lu
- Center for Frontier Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - En-Ting Wu
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Li Yang
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Hsien Lin
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Yu Lin
- Depatment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Ju Melody Tsai
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Hsiu Chien
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wuh-Liang Hwu
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Pin Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Ni-Chung Lee
- Department of Pediatrics National Taiwan University Children's Hospital Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Chi-Kang Tseng
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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17
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BST2, a Novel Inhibitory Receptor, Is Involved in NK Cell Cytotoxicity through Its Cytoplasmic Tail Domain. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911395. [PMID: 36232695 PMCID: PMC9570199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Antigen 2 (BST2) is a type II transmembrane protein expressed on various cell types that tethers the release of viruses. Natural killer (NK) cells express low levels of BST2 under normal conditions but exhibit increased expression of BST2 upon activation. In this study, we show for the first time that murine BST2 can control the cytotoxicity of NK cells. The cytoplasmic tail of murine BST2 contains an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM). The absence of BST2 on NK cells can enhance their cytotoxicity against tumor cells compared to wild type NK cells. NK cells isolated from NZW mice, which express ITIM-deficient BST2, also showed higher cytotoxicity than wild type NK cells. In addition, we found that galectin-8 and galectin-9 were ligands of BST2, since blocking galectin-8 or -9 with monoclonal antibodies enhanced the cytotoxicity of NK cells. These results suggested that BST2 might be a novel NK cell inhibitory receptor as it was involved in regulating NK cell cytotoxicity through its interaction with galectins.
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18
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Che Y, Luo Z, Cao Y, Wang J, Xue Q, Sun N, He J. Integrated pathological analysis to develop a Gal-9 based immune survival stratification to predict the outcome of lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and its usefulness in immunotherapy. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:5913-5927. [PMID: 36263183 PMCID: PMC9576518 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.76936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to integrate the cell spatial organization to develop a Gal-9-based immune survival stratification in the lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and investigate its potentials to immunotherapy. The expression of Gal-9 and other twelve immune markers were evaluated in 122 cases of surgical LCNEC samples from our center using immunohistochemistry. The Gal-9-based immune survival stratification risk score was constructed and its predictive performance was evaluated. Then, we thoroughly explored the effects of Gal-9 and immune risk score on LCNEC immune pathways, immune micro-environment and immunotherapy sensitivity in different cohort and platform, and made a validation in pathology images using Histology-based Digital-Staining (HDS). In 122 LCNEC samples, 43 cases were positive Gal-9 expression on tumor cells (Gal-9 TC). Increased Gal-9 TC predicted worse overall survival. Gal-9's interaction with other immune markers added to the immune suppression and immune tolerance in LCNEC. Immune protein marker-based risk score consisting of Gal-9, CD3, CD4, PD-L1, and PD-1 was developed and validated to robustly discriminate survival high-risk or low-risk in LCNEC patients. The high-risk group characterized by immune-desert tumor had less various T cells. The low-risk group featuring immune-inflamed tumor was more likely to respond to anti-PD1 immunotherapy. HDS in 122 LCNEC samples' 108,369 cells validated that the high-risk group had more tumor cells, less stromal cells, less lymphocytes, higher tumor cell nucleic solidity and lower stromal cells nucleic solidity. An integrated pathological analysis confirms the Gal-9 based immune survival stratification is distinctively related to micro-environment status involved in immune suppression and immune tolerance and could act as a combinatorial biomarker to predict the outcome of LCNEC. These findings may help effectively stratify LCNEC patients sensitive to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Che
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Zhiwen Luo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yanan Cao
- Pathology Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jingnan Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Qi Xue
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Nan Sun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.,✉ Corresponding authors: Nan Sun, Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China, E-mail: (Nan Sun). Jie He, Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China, E-mail: (Jie He)
| | - Jie He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.,✉ Corresponding authors: Nan Sun, Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China, E-mail: (Nan Sun). Jie He, Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China, E-mail: (Jie He)
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19
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Galectin-9 and Interferon-Gamma Are Released by Natural Killer Cells upon Activation with Interferon-Alpha and Orchestrate the Suppression of Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071538. [PMID: 35891518 PMCID: PMC9317111 DOI: 10.3390/v14071538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells mount an immune response against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and can be activated by several cytokines, including interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-15, and interferon-alpha (IFN-α). By exploiting the Huh7.5 hepatoma cell line infected with the HCV JFH1 genome, we provide novel insights into the antiviral effector functions of human primary NK cells after cytokine stimulation. NK cells activated with IFN-α (IFNα-NKs) had enhanced contact-dependent and -independent responses as compared with NK cells activated with IL-2/IL-15 (IL2/IL15-NKs) and could inhibit HCV replication both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, IFN-α, but not IL-2/IL-15, protected NK cells from the functional inhibition exerted by HCV. By performing flow cytometry, multiplex cytokine profiling, and mass-spectrometry-based proteomics, we discovered that IFNα-NKs secreted high levels of galectin-9 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and by conducting neutralization assays, we confirmed the major role of these molecules in HCV suppression. We speculated that galectin-9 might act extracellularly to inhibit HCV binding to host cells and downstream infection. In silico approaches predicted the binding of HCV envelope protein E2 to galectin-9 carbohydrate-recognition domains, and co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed physical interaction. IFN-γ, on the other hand, triggered the intracellular expressions of two antiviral gate-keepers in target cells, namely, myxovirus-1 (MX1) and interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1 (IFIT1). Collectively, our data add more complexity to the antiviral innate response mediated by NK cells and highlight galectin-9 as a key molecule that might be exploited to neutralize productive viral infection.
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20
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Zhang Q, Tan Y, Zhang J, Shi Y, Qi J, Zou D, Ci W. Pyroptosis-Related Signature Predicts Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:782982. [PMID: 35479097 PMCID: PMC9035667 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.782982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyroptosis has profound impacts on tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis and is of great clinical significance for different cancers. However, the role of pyroptosis in the progression and prognosis of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains poorly characterized. Here, we collected multicenter MIBC data and performed integrated analysis to dissect the role of pyroptosis in MIBC and provide an optimized treatment for this disease. Based on transcriptomic data, we developed a novel prognostic model named the pyroptosis-related gene score (PRGScore), which summarizes immunological features, genomic alterations, and clinical characteristics associated with the pyroptosis phenotype. Samples with high PRGScore showed enhancement in CD8+ T cell effector function, antigen processing machinery and immune checkpoint and better response to immunotherapy by programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, which indicates that PRGScore is a valuable signature in the identification of populations sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Collectively, our study provides insights into further research targeting pyroptosis and its tumor immune microenvironment (TME) and offers an opportunity to optimize the treatment of MIBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yezhen Tan
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianye Zhang
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Shi
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Qi
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Daojia Zou
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weimin Ci
- Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, China National Center for Bioinformation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Weimin Ci,
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21
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Development and characterization of anti-galectin-9 antibodies that protect T cells from galectin-9-induced cell death. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101821. [PMID: 35283189 PMCID: PMC9006662 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies that target immune checkpoint proteins such as programmed cell death protein 1, programmed death ligand 1, and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen 4 in human cancers have achieved impressive clinical success; however, a significant proportion of patients fail to respond to these treatments. Galectin-9 (Gal-9), a β-galactoside-binding protein, has been shown to induce T-cell death and facilitate immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment by binding to immunomodulatory receptors such as T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain–containing molecule 3 and the innate immune receptor dectin-1, suggesting that it may have potential as a target for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we report the development of two novel Gal-9-neutralizing antibodies that specifically react with the N-carbohydrate-recognition domain of human Gal-9 with high affinity. We also show using cell-based functional assays that these antibodies efficiently protected human T cells from Gal-9-induced cell death. Notably, in a T-cell/tumor cell coculture assay of cytotoxicity, these antibodies significantly promoted T cell-mediated killing of tumor cells. Taken together, our findings demonstrate potent inhibition of human Gal-9 by neutralizing antibodies, which may open new avenues for cancer immunotherapy.
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22
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Venglar O, Bago JR, Motais B, Hajek R, Jelinek T. Natural Killer Cells in the Malignant Niche of Multiple Myeloma. Front Immunol 2022; 12:816499. [PMID: 35087536 PMCID: PMC8787055 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.816499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells represent a subset of CD3- CD7+ CD56+/dim lymphocytes with cytotoxic and suppressor activity against virus-infected cells and cancer cells. The overall potential of NK cells has brought them to the spotlight of targeted immunotherapy in solid and hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM). Nonetheless, NK cells are subjected to a variety of cancer defense mechanisms, leading to impaired maturation, chemotaxis, target recognition, and killing. This review aims to summarize the available and most current knowledge about cancer-related impairment of NK cell function occurring in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Venglar
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Hematooncology Clinic, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Julio Rodriguez Bago
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Hematooncology Clinic, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Benjamin Motais
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Roman Hajek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Hematooncology Clinic, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Tomas Jelinek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Hematooncology Clinic, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
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23
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Agur T, Wedel J, Bose S, Sahankumari AGP, Goodman D, Kong SW, Ghosh CC, Briscoe DM. Inhibition of mevalonate metabolism by statins augments the immunoregulatory phenotype of vascular endothelial cells and inhibits the costimulation of CD4 + T cells. Am J Transplant 2022; 22:947-954. [PMID: 34687147 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The statin family of therapeutics is widely used clinically as cholesterol lowering agents, and their effects to target intracellular mevalonate production is a key mechanism of action. In this study, we performed full transcriptomic RNA sequencing and qPCR to evaluate the effects of mevalonate on the immunoregulatory phenotype of endothelial cells (EC). We find that mevalonate-dependent gene regulation includes a reduction in the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory genes including TNFSF4 (OX40-L) and TNFSF18 (GITR-L) and a co-incident induction of immunoregulatory genes including LGALS3 (Galectin-3) and LGALS9 (Galectin-9). In functional assays, pretreatment of EC with simvastatin to inhibit mevalonate metabolism resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the costimulation of CD45RO+ CD4+ T cell proliferation as well as IL-2, IFNγ and IL-6 production versus vehicle-treated EC. In contrast, pre-treatment of EC with L-mevalonate in combination with simvastatin reversed phenotypic and functional responses. Collectively, these results indicate that relative mevalonate metabolism by EC is critical to sustain EC-dependent mechanisms of immunity. Our findings have broad relevance for the repurposing of statins as therapeutics to augment immunoregulation and/or to inhibit local tissue pro-inflammatory cytokine production following transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timna Agur
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Johannes Wedel
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sayantan Bose
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - A G Pramoda Sahankumari
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Goodman
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sek Won Kong
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chandra C Ghosh
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David M Briscoe
- The Transplant Research Program and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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24
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Premeaux TA, Moser CB, McKhann A, Hoenigl M, Laws EI, Aquino DL, Lederman MM, Landay AL, Gianella S, Ndhlovu LC. Plasma galectin-9 as a predictor of adverse non-AIDS events in persons with chronic HIV during suppressive antiretroviral therapy. AIDS 2021; 35:2489-2495. [PMID: 34366381 PMCID: PMC8631144 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) still experience an increased risk of morbidity and mortality, presumably driven by chronic inflammation, yet predictors of discrete or combinatorial outcomes remain unclear. Galectin-9 (Gal-9), a driver of both inflammatory and immunosuppressive responses, has been associated with HIV disease progression and multimorbidity. OBJECTIVE To determine whether plasma Gal-9 levels are associated with the occurrence of specific non-AIDS events (NAEs) in PWH initiating ART. DESIGN We performed a nested case-control study of PWH enrolled from 2001 to 2009 and evaluated pre-ART (66 cases, 97 controls), a year post-ART (112 cases, 211 controls), and immediately preceding an event (89 cases, 162 controls). Events included myocardial infarction/stroke, malignancy, serious bacterial infection, or death. METHODS Plasma Gal-9 levels were assessed by ELISA. Conditional logistic regression assessed associations with NAEs and Spearman's correlations compared Gal-9 with other previously assessed biomarkers. RESULTS NAEs occurred at a median of 2.8 years (1.7-4.6) after ART initiation. Higher Gal-9 levels were associated with increased risk of NAEs at year 1 and preevent [odds ratio (OR) per 1 interquartile range = 1.4-1.6; all P < 0.05], specifically myocardial infarction/stroke at year 1 (OR = 1.9; P = 0.029). Gal-9 also correlated with multiple inflammatory and immune activation predictors of NAEs (all timepoints). CONCLUSION Elevated Gal-9 levels are predictive of deleterious NAEs, particularly cardiovascular complications. Whether the Gal-9 pathway, potentially binding to its putative ligands, is active in the pathogenesis of these outcomes warrants further investigation to determine if targeting Gal-9 may slow or reverse the risk of NAEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Premeaux
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Carlee B. Moser
- Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research in the Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Ashley McKhann
- Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research in the Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Elizabeth I. Laws
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
| | - Draven L. Aquino
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
| | - Michael M. Lederman
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Alan L. Landay
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sara Gianella
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Lishomwa C. Ndhlovu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
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25
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Meggyes M, Nagy DU, Balassa T, Godony K, Peterfalvi A, Szereday L, Polgar B. Influence of Galectin-9 Treatment on the Phenotype and Function of NK-92MI Cells in the Presence of Different Serum Supplements. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081066. [PMID: 34439744 PMCID: PMC8391477 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Galectins are one of the critical players in the tumor microenvironment-tumor crosstalk and the regulation of local immunity. Galectin-9 has been in the limelight in tumor immunology. Galectin-9 possesses its multiplex biological functions both extracellularly and intracellularly, plays a pivotal role in the modulation of adaptive and innate immunity, and induces immune tolerance. NK-92MI cell lines against different malignancies were extensively studied, and recently published trials used genetically chimeric antigen receptor-transfected NK-92MI cells in tumor immunotherapy. Besides the intensive research in tumor immunotherapy, limited information is available on their immune-checkpoint expression and the impact of checkpoint ligands on their effector functions. To uncover the therapeutic potential of modulating Galectin-9-related immunological pathways in NK-cell-based therapy, we investigated the dose-dependent effect of soluble Galectin-9 on the TIM-3 checkpoint receptor and NKG2D, CD69, FasL, and perforin expression of NK-92MI cells. We also examined how their cytotoxicity and cytokine production was altered after Gal-9 treatment and in the presence of different serum supplements using flow cytometric analysis. Our study provides evidence that the Galectin-9/TIM-3 pathway plays an important role in the regulation of NK cell function, and about the modulatory role of Galectin-9 on the cytotoxicity and cytokine production of NK-92MI cells in the presence of different serum supplements. We hope that our results will aid the development of novel NK-cell-based strategies that target Galectin-9/TIM-3 checkpoint in tumors resistant to T-cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matyas Meggyes
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (T.B.); (L.S.); (B.P.)
- Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, 20 Ifjusag Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +3672-536001/1907
| | - David U Nagy
- Medical Centre, Cochrane Hungary, University of Pecs, 7623 Pecs, Hungary;
| | - Timea Balassa
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (T.B.); (L.S.); (B.P.)
| | - Krisztina Godony
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical School, University of Pecs, 17 Edesanyak Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary;
| | - Agnes Peterfalvi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pecs, 13 Ifjusag Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary;
| | - Laszlo Szereday
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (T.B.); (L.S.); (B.P.)
- Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, 20 Ifjusag Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
| | - Beata Polgar
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pecs, 12 Szigeti Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (T.B.); (L.S.); (B.P.)
- Janos Szentagothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, 20 Ifjusag Street, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
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26
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Chang H, Xu Q, Li J, Li M, Zhang Z, Ma H, Yang X. Lactate secreted by PKM2 upregulation promotes Galectin-9-mediated immunosuppression via inhibiting NF-κB pathway in HNSCC. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:725. [PMID: 34290225 PMCID: PMC8295286 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Pyruvate kinase M2 as a key rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis, it plays a critical role in metabolic reprogramming and carcinogenesis. However, whether PKM2 can promote immunosuppressive microenvironment formation remains unknown in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). PKM2 expression was detected using immunohistochemical staining. The biological functions of PKM2 were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Lactate production and the expression of Galectin-9, a critical immunosuppression molecule, were detected after PKM2 knockdown and overexpression in HNSCC cells. The mechanism of lactate regulating Galectin-9 expression through NF-κB signaling was explored in vitro. Overexpression of PKM2 correlates with poor prognosis in HNSCC patients. Silencing PKM2 markedly inhibits proliferation and metastasis capacity in vivo and in vitro, and vice versa. The glycolysis and glycolytic capacity are significantly decreased after PKM2 silencing. Lactate secretion induced by PKM2 significantly promotes migration and invasion capacity. Furthermore, a positive correlation between PKM2 and Galectin-9 expression is observed in HNSCC tissues. The induction of Galectin-9 expression by PKM2 can be affected by a lactate transporter inhibitor. Mechanically, lactate impeded the suppressive transcriptional complex formation of NF-κB and histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), which released the transcription of Galectin-9 mediated by NF-κB signaling. Our findings demonstrate that lactate produced by PKM2 upregulation promotes tumor progression and Galectin-9-mediated immunosuppression via NF-κB signaling inhibition in HNSCC, which bridges metabolism and immunosuppression. The novel PKM2-lactate-Galectin-9 axis might be a potential therapeutic target in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyue Chang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Oral Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Oral Disease, Stomatology Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 510140, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiaoshi Xu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyu Li
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China
| | - Hailong Ma
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xi Yang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 639, Zhizaoju Rd, 200011, Shanghai, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, 200011, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 200011, Shanghai, China.
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27
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Iwasaki-Hozumi H, Chagan-Yasutan H, Ashino Y, Hattori T. Blood Levels of Galectin-9, an Immuno-Regulating Molecule, Reflect the Severity for the Acute and Chronic Infectious Diseases. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11030430. [PMID: 33804076 PMCID: PMC7998537 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a β-galactoside-binding lectin capable of promoting or suppressing the progression of infectious diseases. This protein is susceptible to cleavage of its linker-peptides by several proteases, and the resulting cleaved forms, N-terminal carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) and C-terminal CRD, bind to various glycans. It has been suggested that full-length (FL)-Gal-9 and the truncated (Tr)-Gal-9s could exert different functions from one another via their different glycan-binding activities. We propose that FL-Gal-9 regulates the pathogenesis of infectious diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, HIV co-infected with opportunistic infection (HIV/OI), dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, and tuberculosis (TB). We also suggest that the blood levels of FL-Gal-9 reflect the severity of dengue, malaria, and HIV/OI, and those of Tr-Gal-9 markedly reflect the severity of HIV/OI. Recently, matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) was suggested to be an indicator of respiratory failure from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as well as useful for differentiating pulmonary from extrapulmonary TB. The protease cleavage of FL-Gal-9 may lead to uncontrolled hyper-immune activation, including a cytokine storm. In summary, Gal-9 has potential to reflect the disease severity for the acute and chronic infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Iwasaki-Hozumi
- Department of Health Science and Social Welfare, Kibi International University, Takahashi 716-8508, Japan; (H.I.-H.); (H.C.-Y.)
| | - Haorile Chagan-Yasutan
- Department of Health Science and Social Welfare, Kibi International University, Takahashi 716-8508, Japan; (H.I.-H.); (H.C.-Y.)
- Mongolian Psychosomatic Medicine Department, International Mongolian Medicine Hospital of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot 010065, China
| | - Yugo Ashino
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sendai City Hospital, Sendai 982-8502, Japan;
| | - Toshio Hattori
- Department of Health Science and Social Welfare, Kibi International University, Takahashi 716-8508, Japan; (H.I.-H.); (H.C.-Y.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-866-22-9454
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28
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Serial transplantation unmasks galectin-9 contribution to tumor immune escape in the MB49 murine model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5227. [PMID: 33664349 PMCID: PMC7933353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84270-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of tumor immune escape are quite diverse and require specific approaches for their exploration in syngeneic tumor models. In several human malignancies, galectin-9 (gal-9) is suspected to contribute to the immune escape. However, in contrast with what has been done for the infiltrating cells, the contribution of gal-9 produced by malignant cells has never been demonstrated in an animal model. Therefore, we derived isogenic clones—either positive or negative for gal-9—from the MB49 murine bladder carcinoma cell line. A progressive and consistent reduction of tumor growth was observed when gal-9-KO cells were subjected to serial transplantations into syngeneic mice. In contrast, tumor growth was unaffected during parallel serial transplantations into nude mice, thus linking tumor inhibition to the enhancement of the immune response against gal-9-KO tumors. This stronger immune response was at least in part explained by changing patterns of response to interferon-γ. One consistent change was a more abundant production of CXCL10, a major inflammatory factor whose production is often induced by interferon-γ. Overall, these observations demonstrate for the first time that serial transplantation into syngeneic mice can be a valuable experimental approach for the exploration of novel mechanisms of tumor immune escape.
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Tabata R, Chi S, Yuda J, Minami Y. Emerging Immunotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1944. [PMID: 33669431 PMCID: PMC7920435 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Several immune checkpoint molecules and immune targets in leukemic cells have been investigated. Recent studies have suggested the potential clinical benefits of immuno-oncology (IO) therapy against acute myeloid leukemia (AML), especially targeting CD33, CD123, and CLL-1, as well as immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., anti-PD (programmed cell death)-1 and anti-CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) antibodies) with or without conventional chemotherapy. Early-phase clinical trials of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T or natural killer (NK) cells for relapsed/refractory AML showed complete remission (CR) or marked reduction of marrow blasts in a few enrolled patients. Bi-/tri-specific antibodies (e.g., bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) and dual-affinity retargeting (DART)) exhibited 11-67% CR rates with 13-78% risk of cytokine-releasing syndrome (CRS). Conventional chemotherapy in combination with anti-PD-1/anti-CTLA4 antibody for relapsed/refractory AML showed 10-36% CR rates with 7-24 month-long median survival. The current advantages of IO therapy in the field of AML are summarized herein. However, although cancer vaccination should be included in the concept of IO therapy, it is not mentioned in this review because of the paucity of relevant evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikako Tabata
- Department of Hematology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa 277-8577, Japan; (R.T.); (S.C.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Hematology, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa 296-8602, Japan
| | - SungGi Chi
- Department of Hematology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa 277-8577, Japan; (R.T.); (S.C.); (J.Y.)
| | - Junichiro Yuda
- Department of Hematology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa 277-8577, Japan; (R.T.); (S.C.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yosuke Minami
- Department of Hematology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa 277-8577, Japan; (R.T.); (S.C.); (J.Y.)
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30
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Moar P, Tandon R. Galectin-9 as a biomarker of disease severity. Cell Immunol 2021; 361:104287. [PMID: 33494007 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a β-galactoside binding lectin known for its immunomodulatory role in various microbial infections. Gal-9 is expressed in all organ systems and localized in the nucleus, cell surface, cytoplasm and the extracellular matrix. It mediates host-pathogen interactions and regulates cell signalling via binding to its receptors. Gal-9 is involved in many physiological functions such as cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, communication and death. However, recent studies have emphasized on the elevated levels of Gal-9 in autoimmune disorders, viral infections, parasitic invasion, cancer, acute liver failure, atopic dermatitis, chronic kidney disease, type-2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and benign infertility-related gynecological disorders. In this paper we have reviewed the potential of Gal-9 as a reliable, sensitive and non-invasive biomarker of disease severity. Tracking changes in Gal-9 levels and its implementation as a biomarker in clinical practice will be an important tool to monitor disease activity and facilitate personalized treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Moar
- Laboratory of AIDS Research and Immunology, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
| | - Ravi Tandon
- Laboratory of AIDS Research and Immunology, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
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31
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Transforming growth factor beta type 1 (TGF-β) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) transcription complex as master regulators of the immunosuppressive protein galectin-9 expression in human cancer and embryonic cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:23478-23496. [PMID: 33295886 PMCID: PMC7762483 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Galectin-9 is one of the key proteins employed by a variety of human malignancies to suppress anti-cancer activities of cytotoxic lymphoid cells and thus escape immune surveillance. Human cancer cells in most cases express higher levels of galectin-9 compared to non-transformed cells. However, the biochemical mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. Here we report for the first time that in human cancer as well as embryonic cells, the transcription factors hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) are involved in upregulation of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) expression, leading to activation of the transcription factor Smad3 through autocrine action. This process triggers upregulation of galectin-9 expression in both malignant (mainly in breast and colorectal cancer as well as acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)) and embryonic cells. The effect, however, was not observed in mature non-transformed human cells. TGF-β1-activated Smad3 therefore displays differential behaviour in human cancer and embryonic vs non-malignant cells. This study uncovered a self-supporting biochemical mechanism underlying high levels of galectin-9 expression operated by the human cancer and embryonic cells employed in our investigations. Our results suggest the possibility of using the TGF-β1 signalling pathway as a potential highly efficient target for cancer immunotherapy.
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32
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Pesce S, Trabanelli S, Di Vito C, Greppi M, Obino V, Guolo F, Minetto P, Bozzo M, Calvi M, Zaghi E, Candiani S, Lemoli RM, Jandus C, Mavilio D, Marcenaro E. Cancer Immunotherapy by Blocking Immune Checkpoints on Innate Lymphocytes. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123504. [PMID: 33255582 PMCID: PMC7760325 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoints refer to a plethora of inhibitory pathways of the immune system that play a crucial role in maintaining self-tolerance and in tuning the duration and amplitude of physiological immune responses to minimize collateral tissue damages. The breakdown of this delicate balance leads to pathological conditions, including cancer. Indeed, tumor cells can develop multiple mechanisms to escape from immune system defense, including the activation of immune checkpoint pathways. The development of monoclonal antibodies, targeting inhibitory immune checkpoints, has provided an immense breakthrough in cancer therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), initially developed to reverse functional exhaustion in T cells, recently emerged as important actors in natural killer (NK)-cell-based immunotherapy. Moreover, the discovery that also helper innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) express inhibitory immune checkpoints, suggests that these molecules might be targeted on ILCs, to modulate their functions in the tumor microenvironment. Recently, other strategies to achieve immune checkpoint blockade have been developed, including miRNA exploiting systems. Herein, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on inhibitory immune checkpoints on NK cells and ILCs and we discuss how to target these innate lymphocytes by ICI in both solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pesce
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
| | - Sara Trabanelli
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.T.); (C.J.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Clara Di Vito
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Greppi
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
| | - Valentina Obino
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
| | - Fabio Guolo
- Clinic of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine (DIMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.G.); (P.M.); (R.M.L.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Paola Minetto
- Clinic of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine (DIMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.G.); (P.M.); (R.M.L.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Matteo Bozzo
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Michela Calvi
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Zaghi
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
| | - Simona Candiani
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Roberto Massimo Lemoli
- Clinic of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine (DIMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.G.); (P.M.); (R.M.L.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Camilla Jandus
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (S.T.); (C.J.)
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, CH-1066 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Domenico Mavilio
- Unit of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy; (C.D.V.); (M.C.); (E.Z.); (D.M.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Marcenaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES) and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.P.); (M.G.); (V.O.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0103357888
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Yasinska IM, Meyer NH, Schlichtner S, Hussain R, Siligardi G, Casely-Hayford M, Fiedler W, Wellbrock J, Desmet C, Calzolai L, Varani L, Berger SM, Raap U, Gibbs BF, Fasler-Kan E, Sumbayev VV. Ligand-Receptor Interactions of Galectin-9 and VISTA Suppress Human T Lymphocyte Cytotoxic Activity. Front Immunol 2020; 11:580557. [PMID: 33329552 PMCID: PMC7715031 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.580557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood/bone marrow cancer, is a severe and often fatal malignancy. AML cells are capable of impairing the anti-cancer activities of cytotoxic lymphoid cells. This includes the inactivation of natural killer (NK) cells and killing of T lymphocytes. Here we report for the first time that V-domain Ig-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), a protein expressed by T cells, recognizes galectin-9 secreted by AML cells as a ligand. Importantly, we found that soluble VISTA released by AML cells enhances the effect of galectin-9, most likely by forming multiprotein complexes on the surface of T cells and possibly creating a molecular barrier. These events cause changes in the plasma membrane potential of T cells leading to activation of granzyme B inside cytotoxic T cells, resulting in apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna M Yasinska
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - N Helge Meyer
- Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Schlichtner
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Maxwell Casely-Hayford
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
| | - Walter Fiedler
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Wellbrock
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with Section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Cancer Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cloe Desmet
- European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Universita' della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Steffen M Berger
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Raap
- Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard F Gibbs
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom.,Division of Experimental Allergology and Immunodermatology, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Elizaveta Fasler-Kan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Biomedical Research, Children's Hospital, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vadim V Sumbayev
- Medway School of Pharmacy, Universities of Kent and Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom
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34
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Alfarra H, Weir J, Grieve S, Reiman T. Targeting NK Cell Inhibitory Receptors for Precision Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2020; 11:575609. [PMID: 33304346 PMCID: PMC7693637 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.575609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immune surveillance of cancer involves multiple types of immune cells including the innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). Natural killer (NK) cells are considered the most active ILC subset for tumor elimination because of their ability to target infected and malignant cells without prior sensitization. NK cells are equipped with an array of activating and inhibitory receptors (IRs); hence NK cell activity is controlled by balanced signals between the activating and IRs. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy that is known for its altered immune landscape. Despite improvements in therapeutic options for MM, this disease remains incurable. An emerging trend to improve clinical outcomes in MM involves harnessing the inherent ability of NK cells to kill malignant cells by recruiting NK cells and enhancing their cytotoxicity toward the malignant MM cells. Following the clinical success of blocking T cell IRs in multiple cancers, targeting NK cell IRs is drawing increasing attention. Relevant NK cell IRs that are attractive candidates for checkpoint blockades include KIRs, NKG2A, LAG-3, TIGIT, PD-1, and TIM-3 receptors. Investigating these NK cell IRs as pathogenic agents and therapeutic targets could lead to promising applications in MM therapy. This review describes the critical role of enhancing NK cell activity in MM and discusses the potential of blocking NK cell IRs as a future MM therapy.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/adverse effects
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/drug effects
- Humans
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/adverse effects
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/drug effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Killer Cells, Natural/transplantation
- Molecular Targeted Therapy
- Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy
- Multiple Myeloma/immunology
- Multiple Myeloma/metabolism
- Multiple Myeloma/pathology
- Receptors, Natural Killer Cell/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Natural Killer Cell/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Tumor Escape
- Tumor Microenvironment
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmi Alfarra
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB, Canada
| | - Jackson Weir
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB, Canada
| | - Stacy Grieve
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB, Canada
| | - Tony Reiman
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, NB, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Saint John, NB, Canada
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35
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Gordon-Weeks A, Yuzhalin AE. Cancer Extracellular Matrix Proteins Regulate Tumour Immunity. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3331. [PMID: 33187209 PMCID: PMC7696558 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an increasingly recognised role in the development and progression of cancer. Whilst significant progress has been made in targeting aspects of the tumour microenvironment such as tumour immunity and angiogenesis, there are no therapies that address the cancer ECM. Importantly, immune function relies heavily on the structure, physics and composition of the ECM, indicating that cancer ECM and immunity are mechanistically inseparable. In this review we highlight mechanisms by which the ECM shapes tumour immunity, identifying potential therapeutic targets within the ECM. These data indicate that to fully realise the potential of cancer immunotherapy, the cancer ECM requires simultaneous consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Gordon-Weeks
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Room 6607, Level 6 John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Arseniy E. Yuzhalin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
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36
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Chen P, Zhang L, Zhang W, Sun C, Wu C, He Y, Zhou C. Galectin-9-based immune risk score model helps to predict relapse in stage I-III small cell lung cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2020-001391. [PMID: 33082168 PMCID: PMC7577067 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background For small cell lung cancer (SCLC) therapy, immunotherapy might have unique advantages to some extent. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) plays an important role in antitumor immunity, while little is known of its function in SCLC. Materials and methods By mean of immunohistochemistry (IHC), we tested the expression level of Gal-9 and other immune markers on both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in 102 surgical-resected early stage SCLC clinical samples. On the basis of statistical analysis and machine learning results, the Gal-9-based immune risk score model was constructed and its predictive performance was evaluated. Then, we thoroughly explored the effects of Gal-9 and immune risk score on SCLC immune microenvironment and immune infiltration in different cohorts and platforms. Results In the SCLC cohort for IHC, the expression level of Gal-9 on TILs was statistically correlated with the levels of program death-1 (p=0.001), program death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (p<0.001), CD3 (p<0.001), CD4 (p<0.001), CD8 (p<0.001), and FOXP3 (p=0.047). High Gal-9 protein expression on TILs indicated better recurrence-free survival (30.4 months, 95% CI: 23.7–37.1 vs 39.4 months, 95% CI: 31.6–47.3, p=0.009). The immune risk score model which consisted of Gal-9 on TILs, CD4, and PD-L1 on TILs was established and validated so as to differentiate high-risk or low-risk patients with SCLC. The prognostic predictive performance of immune risk score model was better than single immune biomarker (area under the curve 0.671 vs 0.621–0.644). High Gal-9-related enrichment pathways in SCLC were enriched in immune system diseases and rheumatic disease. Furthermore, we found that patients with SCLC with low immune risk score presented higher fractions of activated memory CD4 T cells than patients with high immune risk score (p=0.048). Conclusions Gal-9 is markedly related to tumor-immune microenvironment and immune infiltration in SCLC. This study emphasized the predictive value and promising clinical applications of Gal-9 in stage I–III SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peixin Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital,Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.,Tongji University, No 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Liping Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Chenglong Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital,Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.,Tongji University, No 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Chunyan Wu
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yayi He
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital,Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Caicun Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital,Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China
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37
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Demirdjian L, Xu Y, Bahrami-Samani E, Pan Y, Stein S, Xie Z, Park E, Wu YN, Xing Y. Detecting Allele-Specific Alternative Splicing from Population-Scale RNA-Seq Data. Am J Hum Genet 2020; 107:461-472. [PMID: 32781045 PMCID: PMC7477012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a powerful technology for studying human transcriptome variation. We introduce PAIRADISE (Paired Replicate Analysis of Allelic Differential Splicing Events), a method for detecting allele-specific alternative splicing (ASAS) from RNA-seq data. Unlike conventional approaches that detect ASAS events one sample at a time, PAIRADISE aggregates ASAS signals across multiple individuals in a population. By treating the two alleles of an individual as paired, and multiple individuals sharing a heterozygous SNP as replicates, we formulate ASAS detection using PAIRADISE as a statistical problem for identifying differential alternative splicing from RNA-seq data with paired replicates. PAIRADISE outperforms alternative statistical models in simulation studies. Applying PAIRADISE to replicate RNA-seq data of a single individual and to population-scale RNA-seq data across many individuals, we detect ASAS events associated with genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals of complex traits or diseases. Additionally, PAIRADISE ASAS analysis detects the effects of rare variants on alternative splicing. PAIRADISE provides a useful computational tool for elucidating the genetic variation and phenotypic association of alternative splicing in populations.
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38
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Rosen HR, Golden-Mason L. Control of HCV Infection by Natural Killer Cells and Macrophages. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2020; 10:a037101. [PMID: 31871225 PMCID: PMC7447067 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Host defense against invading pathogens within the liver is dominated by innate immunity. Natural killer (NK) cells have been implicated at all stages of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, from providing innate protection to contributing to treatment-induced clearance. Decreased NK cell levels, altered NK cell subset distribution, activation marker expression, and functional polarization toward a cytolytic phenotype are hallmarks of chronic HCV infection. Interferon α (IFN-α) is a potent activator of NK cells; therefore, it is not surprising that NK cell activation has been identified as a key factor associated with sustained virological response (SVR) to IFN-α-based therapies. Understanding the role of NK cells, macrophages, and other innate immune cells post-SVR remains paramount for prevention of disease pathogenesis and progression. Novel strategies to treat liver disease may be aimed at targeting these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo R Rosen
- Department of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
- USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
| | - Lucy Golden-Mason
- Department of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
- USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
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39
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Sun MJ, Cao ZQ, Leng P. The roles of galectins in hepatic diseases. J Mol Histol 2020; 51:473-484. [PMID: 32734557 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-020-09898-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic diseases include all diseases that occur in the liver, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, etc. Hepatic diseases worldwide are characterized by high incidences of digestive system diseases, which present with subtle symptoms, are difficult to treat and have high mortality. Galectins are β-galactoside-binding proteins that have been found to be aberrantly expressed during hepatic disease progression. An increasing number of studies have shown that abnormal expression of galectins is extensively involved in hepatic diseases, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver cirrhosis, hepatitis and liver fibrosis. Galectins function as intracellular and extracellular hepatic disease regulators mainly through the binding of their carbohydrate recognition domain to glycoconjugates expressed in hepatocytes. In this review, we summarize current research on the various roles of galectins in cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis and HCC, which may provide a preliminary theoretical basis for the exploration of new targets for the treatment of hepatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Juan Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiang Su Road, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhan-Qi Cao
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiang Su Road, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Leng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiang Su Road, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China.
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40
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Chauhan SKS, Koehl U, Kloess S. Harnessing NK Cell Checkpoint-Modulating Immunotherapies. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1807. [PMID: 32640575 PMCID: PMC7408278 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During the host immune response, the precise balance of the immune system, regulated by immune checkpoint, is required to avoid infection and cancer. These immune checkpoints are the mainstream regulator of the immune response and are crucial for self-tolerance. During the last decade, various new immune checkpoint molecules have been studied, providing an attractive path to evaluate their potential role as targets for effective therapeutic interventions. Checkpoint inhibitors have mainly been explored in T cells until now, but natural killer (NK) cells are a newly emerging target for the determination of checkpoint molecules. Simultaneously, an increasing number of therapeutic dimensions have been explored, including modulatory and inhibitory checkpoint molecules, either causing dysfunction or promoting effector functions. Furthermore, the combination of the immune checkpoint with other NK cell-based therapeutic strategies could also strengthen its efficacy as an antitumor therapy. In this review, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of the literature to date regarding underlying mechanisms of modulatory and inhibitory checkpoint molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of cellular therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (U.K.); (S.K.)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Kloess
- Institute of cellular therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (U.K.); (S.K.)
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41
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Zhang CX, Huang DJ, Baloche V, Zhang L, Xu JX, Li BW, Zhao XR, He J, Mai HQ, Chen QY, Zhang XS, Busson P, Cui J, Li J. Galectin-9 promotes a suppressive microenvironment in human cancer by enhancing STING degradation. Oncogenesis 2020; 9:65. [PMID: 32632113 PMCID: PMC7338349 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-00248-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is known to enhance the expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in murine models. Its contribution to the expansion of MDSCs in human malignancies remain to be investigated. We here report that Gal-9 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells enhances the generation of MDSCs (CD33+CD11b+HLA-DR−) from CD33+ bystander cells. The underlying mechanisms involve both the intracellular and secreted Gal-9. Inside carcinoma cells, Gal-9 up-regulates the expression of a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines which are critical for MDSC differentiation, including IL-1β and IL-6. This effect is mediated by accelerated STING protein degradation resulting from direct interaction of the Gal-9 carbohydrate recognition domain 1 with the STING C-terminus and subsequent enhancement of the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM29-mediated K48-linked ubiquitination of STING. Moreover, we showed that extracellular Gal-9 secreted by carcinoma cells can enter the myeloid cells and trigger the same signaling cascade. Consistently, high concentrations of tumor and plasma Gal-9 are associated with shortened survival of NPC patients. Our findings unearth that Gal-9 induces myeloid lineage-mediated immunosuppression in tumor microenvironments by suppressing STING signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Xia Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dai-Jia Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060, Guangzhou, China
| | - Valentin Baloche
- CNRS, UMR 9018, Gustave Roussy and Université Paris-Saclay 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, F-94805, Villejuif, France
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jing-Xiao Xu
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Bo-Wen Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, 213000, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin-Rui Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia He
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Qiang Mai
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiu-Yan Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Shi Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.,Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pierre Busson
- CNRS, UMR 9018, Gustave Roussy and Université Paris-Saclay 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, F-94805, Villejuif, France.
| | - Jun Cui
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China. .,MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275, Guangzhou, China. .,Department of Research and Development, Shenzhen Institute for Innovation and Translational Medicine, Shenzhen International Biological Valley-Life Science Industrial Park, Dapeng New District, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Jiang Li
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
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Compagno D, Tiraboschi C, Garcia JD, Rondón Y, Corapi E, Velazquez C, Laderach DJ. Galectins as Checkpoints of the Immune System in Cancers, Their Clinical Relevance, and Implication in Clinical Trials. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10050750. [PMID: 32408492 PMCID: PMC7277089 DOI: 10.3390/biom10050750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Galectins are small proteins with pleiotropic functions, which depend on both their lectin (glycan recognition) and non-lectin (recognition of other biomolecules besides glycans) interactions. Currently, 15 members of this family have been described in mammals, each with its structural and ligand recognition particularities. The galectin/ligand interaction translates into a plethora of biological functions that are particular for each cell/tissue type. In this sense, the cells of the immune system are highly sensitive to the action of these small and essential proteins. While galectins play central roles in tumor progression, they are also excellent negative regulators (checkpoints) of the immune cell functions, participating in the creation of a microenvironment that promotes tumor escape. This review aims to give an updated view on how galectins control the tumor’s immune attack depending on the tumor microenvironment, because determining which galectins are essential and the role they play will help to develop future clinical trials and benefit patients with incurable cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Compagno
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
- Correspondence: or (D.C.); (D.J.L.)
| | - Carolina Tiraboschi
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
| | - José Daniel Garcia
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
| | - Yorfer Rondón
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
| | - Enrique Corapi
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Carla Velazquez
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
- Facultad de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata 1900, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego José Laderach
- Molecular and Functional Glyco-Oncology Laboratory, IQUIBICEN-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; (C.T.); (J.D.G.); (Y.R.); (E.C.); (C.V.)
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Lujan 6700, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Correspondence: or (D.C.); (D.J.L.)
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43
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Baloche V, Ferrand FR, Makowska A, Even C, Kontny U, Busson P. Emerging therapeutic targets for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: opportunities and challenges. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:545-558. [PMID: 32249657 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1751820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a major public health problem in several countries, especially those in Southeast Asia and North Africa. In its typical poorly differentiated form, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome is present in the nuclei of all malignant cells with restricted expression of a few viral genes. The malignant phenotype of NPC cells results from the influence of these viral products in combination with cellular genetic, epigenetic and functional alterations. With regard to host/tumor interactions, NPC is a remarkable example of immune escape in the context of a hot tumor.Areas covered: This article has an emphasis on emerging therapeutic targets that are considered upstream or at an early stage of clinical application. It examines targets related to cellular oncogenic alterations, latent EBV infection and tumor interactions with the immune system.Expert opinion: There is a remarkable emergence of new agents that target EBV products. The clinical application of these agents would benefit from a systematic and comprehensive molecular classification of NPCs and from easy access to pre-clinical models in public repositories. There is a strong rationale for more investigations on the potential of immune modulators, especially those related to NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Baloche
- CNRS, UMR 9018, Gustave Roussy and Uuniversité Paris-Saclay, 39, rue Camille Desmoulins, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Anna Makowska
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Caroline Even
- Département de cancérologie cervico-faciale, Gustave Roussy and université Paris-Saclay, 39, rue Camille Desmoulins, F-94805, Villejuif, France
| | - Udo Kontny
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Pierre Busson
- CNRS, UMR 9018, Gustave Roussy and Uuniversité Paris-Saclay, 39, rue Camille Desmoulins, Villejuif, France
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44
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Zhang D, Jiang F, Zaynagetdinov R, Huang H, Sood VD, Wang H, Zhao X, Jenkins MH, Ji Q, Wang Y, Nannemann DP, Musil D, Wesolowski J, Paoletti A, Bartholomew T, Derner MG, An Q, Iffland C, Halle JP. Identification and characterization of M6903, an antagonistic anti-TIM-3 monoclonal antibody. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1744921. [PMID: 32313722 PMCID: PMC7153820 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1744921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) is an immune checkpoint that regulates normal immune responses but can be exploited by tumor cells to evade immune surveillance. TIM-3 is primarily expressed on immune cells, particularly on dysfunctional and exhausted T cells, and engagement of TIM-3 with its ligands promotes TIM-3-mediated T cell inhibition. Antagonistic ligand-blocking anti-TIM-3 antibodies have the potential to abrogate T cell inhibition, activate antigen-specific T cells, and enhance anti-tumor immunity. Here we describe M6903, a fully human anti-TIM-3 antibody without effector function and with high affinity and selectivity to TIM-3. We demonstrate that M6903 blocks the binding of TIM-3 to three of its ligands, phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion-related molecule 1 (CEACAM1), and galectin 9 (Gal-9). These results are supported by an atomic resolution crystal structure and functional assays, which demonstrate that M6903 monotherapy enhanced T cell activation. This activation was further enhanced by the combination of M6903 with bintrafusp alfa, a bifunctional fusion protein that simultaneously blocks the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathways. M6903 and bintrafusp alfa combination therapy also enhanced anti-tumor efficacy in huTIM-3 knock-in mice, relative to either monotherapy. These in vitro and in vivo data, along with favorable pharmacokinetics in marmoset monkeys, suggest that M6903 as a monotherapy warrants further pre-clinical assessment and that M6903 and bintrafusp alfa may be a promising combination therapy in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Feng Jiang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Rinat Zaynagetdinov
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Vanita D Sood
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Xinyan Zhao
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Molly H Jenkins
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Qingyong Ji
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Youbin Wang
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - David P Nannemann
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Djordje Musil
- Discovery and Development Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - John Wesolowski
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Paoletti
- Discovery and Development Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Colleretto Giacosa, Italy
| | - Tin Bartholomew
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Melissa G Derner
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Qi An
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Christel Iffland
- Discovery and Development Technologies, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA
| | - Joern-Peter Halle
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, EMD Serono Research and Development Institute, Billerica, MA, USA.,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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45
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Ge Z, Wu S, Zhang Z, Ding S. Mechanism of tumor cells escaping from immune surveillance of NK cells. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2020; 42:187-198. [PMID: 32223464 DOI: 10.1080/08923973.2020.1742733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in anti-tumor and anti-infection, and perform their immune surveillance function in various ways. However, no matter what kind of cancer, the functional activity of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is suppressed. Understanding the relationship between tumor cells and NK cells is very critical for tumor immunotherapy. This review discusses the mechanism of tumor cells escaping the immune surveillance of NK cells. These include a variety of factors that inhibit the activity of NK cells, an imbalance of activating receptors and inhibiting receptors on NK cells, abnormal binding of receptors and ligands, cross-talk of surrounding cell groups and NK cells in the TME, and other factors that affect NK cell activity. An understanding of these factors is necessary to provide new treatment strategies for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Ge
- School of Physical Education & Health Care, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shan Wu
- School of Physical Education & Health Care, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- School of Physical Education & Health Care, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuzhe Ding
- School of Physical Education & Health Care, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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46
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Khan M, Arooj S, Wang H. NK Cell-Based Immune Checkpoint Inhibition. Front Immunol 2020; 11:167. [PMID: 32117298 PMCID: PMC7031489 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy, with an increasing number of therapeutic dimensions, is becoming an important mode of treatment for cancer patients. The inhibition of immune checkpoints, which are the source of immune escape for various cancers, is one such immunotherapeutic dimension. It has mainly been aimed at T cells in the past, but NK cells are a newly emerging target. Simultaneously, the number of checkpoints identified has been increasing in recent times. In addition to the classical NK cell receptors KIRs, LIRs, and NKG2A, several other immune checkpoints have also been shown to cause dysfunction of NK cells in various cancers and chronic infections. These checkpoints include the revolutionized CTLA-4, PD-1, and recently identified B7-H3, as well as LAG-3, TIGIT & CD96, TIM-3, and the most recently acknowledged checkpoint-members of the Siglecs family (Siglec-7/9), CD200 and CD47. An interesting dimension of immune checkpoints is their candidacy for dual-checkpoint inhibition, resulting in therapeutic synergism. Furthermore, the combination of immune checkpoint inhibition with other NK cell cytotoxicity restoration strategies could also strengthen its efficacy as an antitumor therapy. Here, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of the literature to date regarding NK cell-based immune checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Khan
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Sumbal Arooj
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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47
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Wierenga APA, Cao J, Mouthaan H, van Weeghel C, Verdijk RM, van Duinen SG, Kroes WGM, Dogrusöz M, Marinkovic M, van der Burg SSH, Luyten GPM, Jager MJ. Aqueous Humor Biomarkers Identify Three Prognostic Groups in Uveal Melanoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 60:4740-4747. [PMID: 31731294 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.19-28309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate whether we can identify different patterns of inflammation in the aqueous humor of a uveal melanoma (UM)-containing eye, and whether these are related to prognosis. Methods Ninety samples of aqueous humor from UM-containing eyes were analyzed using a high-throughput multiplex immunoassay that enables simultaneous analysis of 92 predefined protein biomarkers. Cytokine expression was compared to clinical and histopathological characteristics. Cluster analysis was performed, after which the clusters were compared with clinical and histopathological tumor characteristics. Results Cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters, with one cluster showing hardly any inflammatory cytokines, one showing intermediate levels, and one showing a high expression of inflammation-related biomarkers. Significant differences between the clusters were seen with regard to patient age (P = 0.008), tumor prominence (P = 0.001), ciliary body involvement (P < 0.001), American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage (P < 0.001), monosomy of chromosome 3 (P = 0.03), and gain of chromosome 8q (P = 0.04), with the cluster with a highest cytokine expression having the worst prognostic markers. Especially apoptosis-related cytokines were differentially expressed. Conclusions Analysis of cytokines in the aqueous humor shows distinct differences between aqueous humor samples and allocates these samples into three different prognostic tumor clusters. Especially large tumors with ciliary body involvement and monosomy 3 were associated with many cytokines, especially apoptosis-related cytokines. The presence of these cytokines in the aqueous humor may play a role in the lack of effective antitumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemijn P A Wierenga
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jinfeng Cao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | | | | | - Robert M Verdijk
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Pathology, Section Ophthalmic Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd G van Duinen
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wilma G M Kroes
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mehmet Dogrusöz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marina Marinkovic
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Gregorius P M Luyten
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martine J Jager
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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48
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Rossi GR, Trindade ES, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Tumor Microenvironment-Associated Extracellular Matrix Components Regulate NK Cell Function. Front Immunol 2020; 11:73. [PMID: 32063906 PMCID: PMC7000552 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of multiple infiltrating host cells (e.g., endothelial cells, fibroblasts, lymphocytes, and myeloid cells), extracellular matrix, and various secreted or cell membrane-presented molecules. Group 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which includes natural killer (NK) cells and ILC1, contribute to protecting the host against cancer and infection. Both subsets are able to quickly produce cytokines such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ), chemokines, and other growth factors in response to activating signals. However, the TME provides many molecules that can prevent the potential effector function of these cells, thereby protecting the tumor. For example, TME-derived tumor growth factor (TGF)-β and associated members of the superfamily downregulate NK cell cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion, metabolism, proliferation, and induce effector NK cells to upregulate ILC1-like characteristics. In concert, a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins called galectins, which can be produced by different cells composing the TME, can downregulate NK cell function. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) are also enzymes that can remodel the extracellular matrix and shred receptors from the tumor cell surface, impairing the activation of NK cells and leading to less effective effector functions. Gaining a better understanding of the characteristics of the TME and its associated factors, such as infiltrating cells and extracellular matrix, could lead to tailoring of new personalized immunotherapy approaches. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge on the impact of the TME and extracellular matrix-associated components on differentiation, impairment, and function of NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edvaldo S Trindade
- Cellular Biology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
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He Y, Jia K, Dziadziuszko R, Zhao S, Zhang X, Deng J, Wang H, Hirsch FR, Zhou C. Galectin-9 in non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2019; 136:80-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2019.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Yazdanifar M, Zhou R, Grover P, Williams C, Bose M, Moore LJ, Wu ST, Maher J, Dreau D, Mukherjee P. Overcoming Immunological Resistance Enhances the Efficacy of A Novel Anti-tMUC1-CAR T Cell Treatment against Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cells 2019; 8:cells8091070. [PMID: 31514488 PMCID: PMC6770201 DOI: 10.3390/cells8091070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have shown remarkable success in treating hematologic cancers. However, this efficacy has yet to translate to treatment in solid tumors. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a fatal malignancy with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. We have developed a second generation CAR T cell using the variable fragments of a novel monoclonal antibody, TAB004, which specifically binds the tumor-associated-MUC1 (tMUC1). tMUC1 is overexpressed on ~85% of all human PDA. We present data showing that TAB004-derived CAR T cells specifically bind to tMUC1 on PDA cells and show robust killing activity; however, they do not bind or kill normal epithelial cells. We further demonstrated that the tMUC1-CAR T cells control the growth of orthotopic pancreatic tumors in vivo. We witnessed that some PDA cells (HPAFII and CFPAC) were refractory to CAR T cell treatment. qPCR analysis of several genes revealed overexpression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenases-1 (IDO1), cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX1/2), and galectin-9 (Gal-9) in resistant PDA cells. We showed that combination of CAR T cells and biological inhibitors of IDO1, COX1/2, and Gal-9 resulted in significant enhancement of CAR T cell cytotoxicity against PDA cells. Overcoming PDA resistance is a significant advancement in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Ru Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Priyanka Grover
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Chandra Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Mukulika Bose
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Laura J. Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Shu-ta Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - John Maher
- King’s College London, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy’s Hospital Campus, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK;
| | - Didier Dreau
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
| | - Pinku Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA; (M.Y.); (R.Z.); (P.G.); (C.W.); (M.B.); (L.J.M.); (S.-t.W.); (D.D.)
- Correspondence:
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