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Hay ZL, Kim DD, Cimons JM, Knapp JR, Kohler ME, Quansah M, Zúñiga TM, Camp FA, Fujita M, Wang XJ, O’Connor BP, Slansky JE. Granzyme F: Exhaustion Marker and Modulator of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:1381-1391. [PMID: 38416029 PMCID: PMC10984789 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Granzymes are a family of proteases used by CD8 T cells to mediate cytotoxicity and other less-defined activities. The substrate and mechanism of action of many granzymes are unknown, although they diverge among the family members. In this study, we show that mouse CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) express a unique array of granzymes relative to CD8 T cells outside the tumor microenvironment in multiple tumor models. Granzyme F was one of the most highly upregulated genes in TILs and was exclusively detected in PD1/TIM3 double-positive CD8 TILs. To determine the function of granzyme F and to improve the cytotoxic response to leukemia, we constructed chimeric Ag receptor T cells to overexpress a single granzyme, granzyme F or the better-characterized granzyme A or B. Using these doubly recombinant T cells, we demonstrated that granzyme F expression improved T cell-mediated cytotoxicity against target leukemia cells and induced a form of cell death other than chimeric Ag receptor T cells expressing only endogenous granzymes or exogenous granzyme A or B. However, increasing expression of granzyme F also had a detrimental impact on the viability of the host T cells, decreasing their persistence in circulation in vivo. These results suggest a unique role for granzyme F as a marker of terminally differentiated CD8 T cells with increased cytotoxicity, but also increased self-directed cytotoxicity, suggesting a potential mechanism for the end of the terminal exhaustion pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary L.Z. Hay
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dale D. Kim
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Cimons
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Knapp
- Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, 80206, USA
| | - M. Eric Kohler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mary Quansah
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tiffany M. Zúñiga
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Faye A. Camp
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mayumi Fujita
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA, and since moved to Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian P. O’Connor
- Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, 80206, USA
| | - Jill E. Slansky
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
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Ju Y, Zhu F, Fang B. Biomarker Potential of LINC00313 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Correlation with Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Immune Cell Infiltration. Int J Med Sci 2024; 21:921-936. [PMID: 38617010 PMCID: PMC11008489 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.93044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Although LINC00313 is dysregulated in several tumors, its role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of LINC00313 in HNSC. The clinical information and LINC00313 expression data of HNSC were mined from the TCGA/GEO/cbioportal database. The correlation between LINC00313 expression and immune cell infiltration in HNSC tumors was analyzed by bioinformatics and gene enrichment analysis was performed. LINC00313 was silenced in HNSC cell lines, and changes at the genetic and molecular levels were verified through qRT-PCR and Western blotting. The researchers also validated its functional phenotype through a series of cell function experiments. The results showed that overexpression and copy number variation of LINC00313 in HNSC were associated with poorer prognosis. In addition, LINC00313 expression was significantly negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration. Silencing of LINC00313 in HNSC cells significantly reduced the rate of cell migration. LINC00313 may affect the progression of HNSC by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In conclusion, LINC00313 is a potential biomarker of HNSC prognosis and a potential target for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yikun Ju
- Department of Plastic and Aesthetic (Burn) Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fang Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bairong Fang
- Department of Plastic and Aesthetic (Burn) Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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3
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Baudouin R, Tartour E, Badoual C, Hans S. Hypothesis of a CD137/Eomes activating axis for effector T cells in HPV oropharyngeal cancers. Mol Med 2024; 30:26. [PMID: 38355394 PMCID: PMC10868089 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00796-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is supplanting alcohol and tobacco intoxications as the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer in developed countries. HPV-related squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx (HPV + OSC) present better survival and respond better to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Regulatory T cells (TREG) are mainly described as immunosuppressive and protumoral in most solid cancers. However, TREG are paradoxically associated with a better prognosis in HPV + OSCs. The transcription factor FoxP3 is the basis for the identification of TREG. Among CD4 + FoxP3 + T cells, some have effector functions. A medical hypothesis is formulated here: the existence of a CD137 (4.1BB)-Eomesodermin (Eomes) activated pathway downstream of TCR-specific activation in a subpopulation of CD4 + FoxP3 + T cells may explain this effector function. Evidence suggest that this axis may exist either in CD4 + FoxP3 + T cells or CD8 + T cells. This pathway could lead T cells to strong antitumor cytotoxic activity in a tumor-specific manner. Furthermore, CD137 is one of the most expected targets for the development of agonist immunotherapies. The identification of CD137 + Eomes + FoxP3+/- T cells could be a key element in the selective activation of the most anti-tumor cells in the HPV + OSC microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Baudouin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, 40 rue Worth, 92 150, Suresnes, France.
- School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en- Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), 2 Av. de la Source de la Bièvre, Montigny- le-Bretonneux, 78 180, France.
| | - Eric Tartour
- Université Paris Cite, INSERM, PARCC, Hôpital européen Georges Pompidou, Service d'Immunologie biologique, 20, Rue Leblanc, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Cécile Badoual
- Hôpital européen Georges Pompidou, Service d'anatomopathologie, 20, Rue Leblanc, Paris, 75015, France
| | - Stéphane Hans
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, 40 rue Worth, 92 150, Suresnes, France
- School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en- Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), 2 Av. de la Source de la Bièvre, Montigny- le-Bretonneux, 78 180, France
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4
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HELLER GERWIN, FUEREDER THORSTEN, GRANDITS ALEXANDERMICHAEL, WIESER ROTRAUD. New perspectives on biology, disease progression, and therapy response of head and neck cancer gained from single cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics. Oncol Res 2023; 32:1-17. [PMID: 38188682 PMCID: PMC10767240 DOI: 10.32604/or.2023.044774] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. The main risk factors are consumption of tobacco products and alcohol, as well as infection with human papilloma virus. Approved therapeutic options comprise surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy through epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition, and immunotherapy, but outcome has remained unsatisfactory due to recurrence rates of ~50% and the frequent occurrence of second primaries. The availability of the human genome sequence at the beginning of the millennium heralded the omics era, in which rapid technological progress has advanced our knowledge of the molecular biology of malignant diseases, including HNSCC, at an unprecedented pace. Initially, microarray-based methods, followed by approaches based on next-generation sequencing, were applied to study the genetics, epigenetics, and gene expression patterns of bulk tumors. More recently, the advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and spatial transcriptomics methods has facilitated the investigation of the heterogeneity between and within different cell populations in the tumor microenvironment (e.g., cancer cells, fibroblasts, immune cells, endothelial cells), led to the discovery of novel cell types, and advanced the discovery of cell-cell communication within tumors. This review provides an overview of scRNAseq, spatial transcriptomics, and the associated bioinformatics methods, and summarizes how their application has promoted our understanding of the emergence, composition, progression, and therapy responsiveness of, and intercellular signaling within, HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- GERWIN HELLER
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - THORSTEN FUEREDER
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | | | - ROTRAUD WIESER
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria
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5
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Wu Y, Liu X, Wang X, Yu L, Yan H, Xie Y, Pu Q, Cai X, Kong Y, Yang Z. A Nomogram Prognostic Model for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on the Interaction Between CD8 +T Cell Counts and Age. Onco Targets Ther 2023; 16:753-766. [PMID: 37752911 PMCID: PMC10519212 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s426195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective CD8+T cells are essential components of the adaptive immune system and are crucial in the body's immune system. This study aimed to investigate how the prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was affected by their CD8+ T cell counts and age and established an effective nomogram model to predict the overall survival (OS). Methods A total of 427 patients with advanced HCC from Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, were enrolled in this study and randomly divided into training and validation groups, with 300 and 127 individuals in each group, respectively. Cox regression analysis was used to screen for independent risk factors for advanced HCC, and the interactive relationship between CD8+T cells and patient age was examined to establish a nomogram prediction model. Results Cox multivariate regression and interaction analyses indicated that tumor number, tumor size, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), C-reactive protein (CRP), relationship of CD8+T cell counts and age were independent predictors of 6-month OS in patients with advanced HCC, and the nomogram model was established based on these factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the nomogram model for predicting the 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month OS rates were 0.821, 0.802, and 0.756, respectively. Moreover, in clinical practice, patients with true-positive survival benefit more than true-positive death, therefore, we selected 25% as the clinical decision threshold probability based on probability density functions (PDFs) and clinical utility curves (CUCs), which can distinguish approximately 92% of patients who died and 37% of patients who survived. Conclusion The nomogram model based on CD8+T cell counts and age accurately assessed the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC and suggested that high CD8+T cell levels are beneficial to the survival of patients with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Wu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Department of Chinese Medicine, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100045, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huiwen Yan
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Xie
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing Pu
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue Cai
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yaxian Kong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Center of Integrative Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, People’s Republic of China
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Pan WX, Zhang XM, Hao SL, Han W. Progress in immunotherapy for neuroendocrine neoplasm of the digestive system. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:4174-4185. [PMID: 37475845 PMCID: PMC10354576 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i26.4174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are rare heterogeneous tumors that can develop in almost any organ, with the digestive organs, including the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas being the most commonly affected sites. Despite the fact that advances in initial therapies have progressed, there is presently no recognized effective treatment for advanced NEN. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown superior efficacy in treating several types of solid tumors. Despite their successful role in the treatment of partial NENs, such as small cell lung cancer, and Merkel cell carcinoma, the role of ICIs in most of the NENs remains limited. Nevertheless, due to their specific anti-tumor mechanisms and acceptable safety profile, ICIs are a promising avenue for further study in NENs therapy. Recent clinical trials have illustrated that combination therapy with ICI is more efficient than monotherapy, and multiple clinical trials are constantly ongoing to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these combination therapies. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the clinical progress of immunotherapy in NENs affecting the digestive system, with a specific emphasis on the application of programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death receptor ligand 1 inhibitor. Furthermore, this review has an exploration of the potential beneficiary population and the inherent value of utilizing immunotherapy in the management of NENs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Xuan Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 101100, China
| | - Xin-Mu Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Shao-Long Hao
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 101100, China
| | - Wei Han
- Department of General Surgery, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 101100, China
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7
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Alonso-Juarranz M, Mascaraque M, Carrasco E, Gracia-Cazaña T, De La Sen O, Gilaberte Y, Gonzalez S, Juarranz Á, Falahat F. The Distinctive Features behind the Aggressiveness of Oral and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3227. [PMID: 37370836 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas arise from stratified squamous epithelia. Here, a comparative analysis based on recent studies defining the genetic alterations and composition of the stroma of oral and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC and CSCC, respectively) was performed. Both carcinomas share some but not all histological and genetic features. This review was focused on how mutations in tumor suppressor genes and protooncogenes cooperate to determine the differentiation, aggressiveness, and metastatic potential of OSCC and CSCC. In fact, driver mutations in tumor suppressor genes are more frequently observed in OSCC than CSCC. These include mutations in TP53 (encoding pP53 protein), CDKN2A (encoding cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A), FAT1 (encoding FAT atypical cadherin 1), and KMT2D (encoding lysine methyltransferase 2D), with the exception of NOTCH (encoding Notch receptor 1), whose mutation frequency is lower in OSCC compared to CSCC. Finally, we describe the differential composition of the tumor microenvironment and how this influences the aggressiveness of each tumor type. Although both OSCC and CSCC tumors are highly infiltrated by immune cells, high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been more frequently reported as predictors of better outcomes in OSCC than CSCC. In conclusion, OSCC and CSCC partially share genetic alterations and possess different causal factors triggering their development. The tumor microenvironment plays a key role determining the outcome of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Alonso-Juarranz
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Mascaraque
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Translational Research Unit, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Elisa Carrasco
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tamara Gracia-Cazaña
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Oscar De La Sen
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Gilaberte
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Salvador Gonzalez
- Department of Experimental Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángeles Juarranz
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Farzin Falahat
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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John J, Chen SMY, Woolaver RA, Ge H, Vashisht M, Huang Z, Chen Z, Wang JH. Host-specific differences in top-expanded TCR clonotypes correlate with divergent outcomes of anti-PD-L1 treatment in responders versus non-responders. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1100520. [PMID: 37051229 PMCID: PMC10084475 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1100520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment; however, the responses to ICI treatment are highly variable in different individuals and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we employed a mouse squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) model where tumor-bearing recipients diverged into responders (R) versus non-responders (NR) upon anti-PD-L1 treatment. We performed in-depth TCRβ sequencing with immunoSEQ platform to delineate the differences in CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We found that R and NR CD8 TILs both exhibited evidence of clonal expansion, suggesting activation regardless of response status. We detected no differences in clonal expansion or clonal diversity indexes between R vs. NR. However, the top expanded (>1%) TCRβ clonotypes appeared to be mutually exclusive between R and NR CD8 TILs, showing a preferential expansion of distinct TCRβ clonotypes in response to the same SCC tumor in R vs. NR. Notably, the mutual exclusivity of TCR clonotypes in R vs. NR was only observed when top TCRβ clonotypes were counted, because such top-expanded clonotypes are present in the opposite outcome group at a much lower frequency. Many TCRβ sequences were detected in only one recipient at a high frequency, implicating highly individualized anti-tumor immune responses. We conclude that differences in the clonal frequency of top TCR clonotypes between R and NR CD8 TILs may be one of the factors underlying differential anti-PD-L1 responses. This notion may offer a novel explanation for variable ICI responses in different individuals, which may substantially impact the development of new strategies for personalized cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessy John
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Samantha M. Y. Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Rachel A. Woolaver
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ziyu Huang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Biostatistics Facility, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Porciello N, Franzese O, D’Ambrosio L, Palermo B, Nisticò P. T-cell repertoire diversity: friend or foe for protective antitumor response? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:356. [PMID: 36550555 PMCID: PMC9773533 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02566-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Profiling the T-Cell Receptor (TCR) repertoire is establishing as a potent approach to investigate autologous and treatment-induced antitumor immune response. Technical and computational breakthroughs, including high throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches and spatial transcriptomics, are providing unprecedented insight into the mechanisms underlying antitumor immunity. A precise spatiotemporal variation of T-cell repertoire, which dynamically mirrors the functional state of the evolving host-cancer interaction, allows the tracking of the T-cell populations at play, and may identify the key cells responsible for tumor eradication, the evaluation of minimal residual disease and the identification of biomarkers of response to immunotherapy. In this review we will discuss the relationship between global metrics characterizing the TCR repertoire such as T-cell clonality and diversity and the resultant functional responses. In particular, we will explore how specific TCR repertoires in cancer patients can be predictive of prognosis or response to therapy and in particular how a given TCR re-arrangement, following immunotherapy, can predict a specific clinical outcome. Finally, we will examine current improvements in terms of T-cell sequencing, discussing advantages and challenges of current methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicla Porciello
- grid.417520.50000 0004 1760 5276Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Ornella Franzese
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo D’Ambrosio
- grid.417520.50000 0004 1760 5276Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Belinda Palermo
- grid.417520.50000 0004 1760 5276Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Nisticò
- grid.417520.50000 0004 1760 5276Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS-Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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10
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Thin KA, Angsuwatcharakon P, Edwards SW, Mutirangura A, Puttipanyalears C. Upregulation of p16INK4A in Peripheral White Blood Cells as a Novel Screening Marker for Colorectal Carcinoma. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2022; 23:3753-3761. [PMID: 36444588 PMCID: PMC9930939 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2022.23.11.3753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) is important for the early detection. CRC is relating to aging and immuno-senescence. One such senescent marker is p16INK4A expression in immune cells. The objective of the study is to investigate the protein expression of p16INK4A in peripheral white blood cells as a screening marker for colorectal cancer. METHODS A case-control studies were conducted. Cases were patients with colorectal cancer and controls were matched with cases based on age and sex. Peripheral blood was collected from patients and controls and the protein p16INK4A was measured with immunofluorescent techniques. The p16INK4A levels from cases and controls were evaluated using ROC analysis to be used as a screening marker in CRC patients. Mean fluorescent intensity of p16INK4A of cases and controls were analyzed in CD45+, CD3+ or CD14+ cells. The p16INK4A levels of cases were also correlated with clinical data. RESULT Statistically significant increased expression of p16INK4A levels were found in cases compared to controls. p16INK4A in peripheral immune cells had 78% sensitivity and 71% specificity which can possibly be used as a diagnosis tool for colorectal cancer. P16INK4A-positive cell percentage and mean florescent intensity were significantly higher in CD45+ cells, CD3 positive cells and CD14 positive cells. No significant correlation was observed with the clinical data and p16INK4A level of CRC patients. CONCLUSION The significant increase of p16 INK4A expression level in peripheral immune cells represents potential for use as a CRC screening marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khin Aye Thin
- Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology between Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand and Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Steven W Edwards
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, United Kingdom.
| | - Apiwat Mutirangura
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. ,Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
| | - Charoenchai Puttipanyalears
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. ,Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. ,For Correspondence:
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11
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Huang J, Li M, Mei B, Li J, Zhu Y, Guo Q, Huang J, Zhang G. Whole-cell tumor vaccines desialylated to uncover tumor antigenic Gal/GalNAc epitopes elicit anti-tumor immunity. J Transl Med 2022; 20:496. [PMID: 36316782 PMCID: PMC9620617 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03714-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aberrant sialoglycans on the surface of tumor cells shield potential tumor antigen epitopes, escape recognition, and suppress activation of immunocytes. α2,3/α2,6Gal- and α2,6GalNAc (Gal/GalNAc)-linked sialic acid residues of sialoglycans could affect macrophage galactose-type lectins (MGL) mediated-antigen uptake and presentation and promote sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs) mediated-immunosuppression. Desialylating sialoglycans on tumor cells could present tumor antigens with Gal/GalNAc residues and overcome glyco-immune checkpoints. Thus, we explored whether vaccination with desialylated whole-cell tumor vaccines (DWCTVs) triggers anti-tumor immunity in ovarian cancer (OC). METHODS Sialic acid (Sia) and Gal/GalNAc residues on OC A2780, OVCAR3, and ID8 cells treated with α2-3 neuraminidase (α2-3NA) and α2-6NA, and Sigec-9 or Siglec-E and MGL on DCs pulsed with desialylated OC cells were identified using flow cytometry (FCM); RT-qPCR determined IFNG expression of T cells, TRBV was sequenced using Sanger sequencing and cytotoxicity of αβ T cells was measured with LDH assay; Anti-tumor immunity in vivo was validated via vaccination with desialylated whole-cell ID8 vaccine (ID8 DWCTVs). RESULTS Gal/GalNAc but not Sia residues were significantly increased in the desialylated OC cells. α2-3NA-modified DWCTV increased MGL but decreased Siglec-9 or Siglec E expression on DCs. MGLbright/Siglec-9dim DCs significantly up-regulated IFNG expression and CD4/CD8 ratio of T cells and diversified the TCR repertoire of αβ T-cells that showed enhanced cytotoxic activity. Vaccination with α2-3NA-modified ID8 DWCTVs increased MGLbright/Siglec-Edim DCs in draining lymph nodes, limited tumor growth, and extended survival in tumor-challenged mice. CONCLUSION Desialylated tumor cell vaccine could promote anti-tumor immunity and provide a strategy for OC immunotherapy in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianmei Huang
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Meiying Li
- grid.415880.00000 0004 1755 2258Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sichuan Cancer Institute, Chengdu, China
| | - Bingjie Mei
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Junyang Li
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060Department of Ultrasound, Sichuan Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiaoshan Guo
- grid.415880.00000 0004 1755 2258Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sichuan Cancer Institute, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianming Huang
- grid.415880.00000 0004 1755 2258Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sichuan Cancer Institute, Chengdu, China
| | - Guonan Zhang
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China ,grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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12
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Cerro PA, Mascaraque M, Gallego-Rentero M, Almenara-Blasco M, Nicolás-Morala J, Santiago JL, González S, Gracia-Cazaña T, Juarranz Á, Gilaberte Y. Tumor microenvironment in non-melanoma skin cancer resistance to photodynamic therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:970279. [PMID: 36338755 PMCID: PMC9634550 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.970279] [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: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-melanoma skin cancer has recently seen an increase in prevalence, and it is estimated that this grow will continue in the coming years. In this sense, the importance of therapy effectiveness has increased, especially photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy has attracted much attention as a minimally invasive, selective and repeatable approach for skin cancer treatment and prevention. Although its high efficiency, this strategy has also faced problems related to tumor resistance, where the tumor microenvironment has gained a well-deserved role in recent years. Tumor microenvironment denotes a wide variety of elements, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, endothelial cells or the extracellular matrix, where their interaction and the secretion of a wide diversity of cytokines. Therefore, the need of designing new strategies targeting elements of the tumor microenvironment to overcome the observed resistance has become evident. To this end, in this review we focus on the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages in the resistance to photodynamic therapy. We are also exploring new approaches consisting in the combination of new and old drugs targeting these cells with photodynamic therapy to enhance treatment outcomes of non-melanoma skin cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina A. Cerro
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Marta Mascaraque
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Gallego-Rentero
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Almenara-Blasco
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Jimena Nicolás-Morala
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Santiago
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital General de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Salvador González
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tamara Gracia-Cazaña
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
| | - Ángeles Juarranz
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experminetal Dermatology and Skin Biology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ángeles Juarranz, ; Yolanda Gilaberte,
| | - Yolanda Gilaberte
- Department of Dermatology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria (IIS), Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ángeles Juarranz, ; Yolanda Gilaberte,
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John J, Woolaver RA, Popolizio V, Chen SMY, Ge H, Krinsky AL, Vashisht M, Kramer Y, Chen Z, Wang JH. Divergent outcomes of anti-PD-L1 treatment coupled with host-intrinsic differences in TCR repertoire and distinct T cell activation states in responding versus non-responding tumors. Front Immunol 2022; 13:992630. [PMID: 36330507 PMCID: PMC9624473 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.992630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Differential responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) may be attributed to tumor-intrinsic factors or environmental cues; however, these mechanisms cannot fully explain the variable ICI responses in different individuals. Here, we investigate the potential contribution of immunological heterogeneity with a focus on differences in T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire to ICI responses, which has not been defined previously. To reveal additional factors underlying heterogeneous responses to ICI, we employed a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) mouse model in which tumor-bearing recipients unambiguously diverged into responders (R) or non-responders (NR) upon anti-PD-L1 treatment. Treatment efficacy absolutely required CD8 T-cells and correlated positively with effector functions of CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We showed that TCR repertoires exhibited a similar magnitude of clonal expansion in R vs. NR CD8 TILs. However, the top expanded TCR clonotypes appeared to be mutually exclusive between R and NR CD8 TILs, which also occurred in a recipient-specific manner, demonstrating preferential expansion of distinct TCR clonotypes against the same SCC tumor. Unexpectedly, R vs. NR CD8 TILs reached all activation clusters and did not exhibit substantial global differences in transcriptomes. By linking single-cell transcriptomic data with unique TCR clonotypes, CD8 TILs harboring top TCR clonotypes were found to occupy distinct activation clusters and upregulate genes favoring anti-tumor immunity to different extents in R vs. NR. We conclude that stochastic differences in CD8 TIL TCR repertoire and distinct activation states of top TCR clonotypes may contribute to differential anti-PD-L1 responses. Our study suggests that host-intrinsic immunological heterogeneity may offer a new explanation for differential ICI responses in different individuals, which could impact on strategies for personalized cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessy John
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rachel A. Woolaver
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Vince Popolizio
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Samantha M. Y. Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alexandra L. Krinsky
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Yonatan Kramer
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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14
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Chen Z, John J, Wang JH. Why responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors are heterogeneous in head and neck cancers: Contributions from tumor-intrinsic and host-intrinsic factors. Front Oncol 2022; 12:995434. [PMID: 36330485 PMCID: PMC9623029 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.995434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment including in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs); however, only a fraction of HNSCC patients respond to ICI, whereas the majority fail to do so. The mechanisms underlying such variable responses remain incompletely understood. A better understanding of such mechanisms may broaden the spectrum of responding patients and enhance the rate of ICI response. HNSCCs exhibit a high level of genetic heterogeneity, manifested as mutations or amplifications of oncogenes (e.g., PIK3CA) and mutations of tumor suppressor genes (e.g., TP53). The immune tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCCs also varies significantly in composition and in relative abundance of distinct immune subsets such as CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) or tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which represents a high degree of immunological heterogeneity. Here, we briefly discuss how heterogeneous ICI responses may be attributed to tumor-intrinsic factors, including genetic, transcriptional, and functional variations in tumor cells, and host-intrinsic factors, including cellular composition of the TME (e.g., CD8 TILs and TAMs), and host-intrinsic differences in the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of CD8 TILs. We also discuss the potential impact of these factors on designing strategies for personalized immunotherapy of HNSCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangguo Chen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jessy John
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jing H. Wang,
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15
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McRitchie BR, Akkaya B. Exhaust the exhausters: Targeting regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Front Immunol 2022; 13:940052. [PMID: 36248808 PMCID: PMC9562032 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.940052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of cancer immunotherapy has gained immense momentum over the recent years. The advancements in checkpoint blockade have led to a notable progress in treating a plethora of cancer types. However, these approaches also appear to have stalled due to factors such as individuals' genetic make-up, resistant tumor sub-types and immune related adverse events (irAE). While the major focus of immunotherapies has largely been alleviating the cell-intrinsic defects of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), amending the relationship between tumor specific CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells has started driving attention as well. A major roadblock to improve the cross-talk between CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells is the immune suppressive action of tumor infiltrating T regulatory (Treg) cells. Despite their indispensable in protecting tissues against autoimmune threats, Tregs have also been under scrutiny for helping tumors thrive. This review addresses how Tregs establish themselves at the TME and suppress anti-tumor immunity. Particularly, we delve into factors that promote Treg migration into tumor tissue and discuss the unique cellular and humoral composition of TME that aids survival, differentiation and function of intratumoral Tregs. Furthermore, we summarize the potential suppression mechanisms used by intratumoral Tregs and discuss ways to target those to ultimately guide new immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bayley R. McRitchie
- Department of Neurology, The College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States,Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Billur Akkaya
- Department of Neurology, The College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States,Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States,Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States,*Correspondence: Billur Akkaya,
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16
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He J, Shen J, Luo W, Han Z, Xie F, Pang T, Liao L, Guo Z, Li J, Li Y, Chen H. Research progress on application of single-cell TCR/BCR sequencing technology to the tumor immune microenvironment, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:969808. [PMID: 36059506 PMCID: PMC9434330 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.969808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell omics is the profiling of individual cells through sequencing and other technologies including high-throughput analysis for single-cell resolution, cell classification, and identification as well as time series analyses. Unlike multicellular studies, single-cell omics overcomes the problem of cellular heterogeneity. It provides new methods and perspectives for in-depth analyses of the behavior and mechanism of individual cells in the cell population and their relationship with the body, and plays an important role in basic research and precision medicine. Single-cell sequencing technologies mainly include single-cell transcriptome sequencing, single-cell assay for transposase accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing, single-cell immune profiling (single-cell T-cell receptor [TCR]/B-cell receptor [BCR] sequencing), and single-cell transcriptomics. Single-cell TCR/BCR sequencing can be used to obtain a large amount of single-cell gene expression and immunomics data at one time, and combined with transcriptome sequencing and TCR/BCR diversity data, can resolve immune cell heterogeneity. This paper summarizes the progress in applying single-cell TCR/BCR sequencing technology to the tumor immune microenvironment, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, immunotherapy, and chronic inflammatory diseases, and discusses its shortcomings and prospects for future application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhua He
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Shen
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Luo
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeping Han
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangmei Xie
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Pang
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liyin Liao
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhonghui Guo
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianhao Li
- Institute of Cardiovascular Medicine, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanwei Chen, ; Yuguang Li, ; Jianhao Li,
| | - Yuguang Li
- Administrative Office, He Xian Memorial Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanwei Chen, ; Yuguang Li, ; Jianhao Li,
| | - Hanwei Chen
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
- Medical Imaging Institute of Panyu, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanwei Chen, ; Yuguang Li, ; Jianhao Li,
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17
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Ren M, Zheng X, Gao H, Jiang A, Yao Y, He W. Nanomedicines Targeting Metabolism in the Tumor Microenvironment. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:943906. [PMID: 35992338 PMCID: PMC9388847 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.943906] [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: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to meet their growing demand for bioenergy and biosynthesis. The metabolic profile of cancer cells usually includes dysregulation of main nutritional metabolic pathways and the production of metabolites, which leads to a tumor microenvironment (TME) having the characteristics of acidity, hypoxic, and/or nutrient depletion. Therapies targeting metabolism have become an active and revolutionary research topic for anti-cancer drug development. The differential metabolic vulnerabilities between tumor cells and other cells within TME provide nanotechnology a therapeutic window of anti-cancer. In this review, we present the metabolic characteristics of intrinsic cancer cells and TME and summarize representative strategies of nanoparticles in metabolism-regulating anti-cancer therapy. Then, we put forward the challenges and opportunities of using nanoparticles in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdi Ren
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Zheng
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Huan Gao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Aimin Jiang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yu Yao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Yao, ; Wangxiao He,
| | - Wangxiao He
- Department of Talent Highland, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Yao, ; Wangxiao He,
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18
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Chen SMY, Popolizio V, Woolaver RA, Ge H, Krinsky AL, John J, Danis E, Ke Y, Kramer Y, Bian L, Nicklawsky AG, Gao D, Liu S, Chen Z, Wang XJ, Wang JH. Differential responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor dictated by pre-existing differential immune profiles in squamous cell carcinomas caused by same initial oncogenic drivers. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:123. [PMID: 35366939 PMCID: PMC8976353 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02337-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) were approved for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), the response rate remains relatively low. Mechanisms underlying ICI unresponsiveness versus sensitivity are not fully understood. METHOD To better delineate differential responses to ICI treatment, we employed mouse SCC models, termed KPPA tumors that were caused by deleting p53 and hyperactivating PIK3CA, two most frequently mutated genes in human HNSCCs. We transplanted two KPPA tumor lines (TAb2 versus TCh3) into C57BL/6 recipients and examined the immune tumor microenvironment using flow cytometry. Furthermore, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to identify the difference in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). RESULTS We found that different KPPA tumors exhibited heterogeneous immune profiles pre-existing treatment that dictated their sensitivity or unresponsiveness to anti-PD-L1. Unresponsive TAb2 tumors were highly enriched with functional tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), especially M2-TAMs. In contrast, sensitive TCh3 tumors contained more CD8 TILs with better effector functions. TAb2 tumor cells drastically expanded F4/80+ TAMs from bone marrow precursors, requiring CSF1 and VEGF. Consistently, a higher combined expression of VEGF-C and CSF1 predicts worse survival in PIK3CAAmp/TP53Mutated HNSCC patients. Unresponsive TAb2 tumors upregulated distinct signaling pathways that correlate with aggressive tumor phenotypes. While anti-PD-L1 did not affect the TME of TAb2 tumors, it significantly increased the number of CD8 TILs in TCh3 tumors. CONCLUSIONS We uncovered tumor-intrinsic differences that may underlie the differential responses to ICI by establishing and employing two SCC tumor lines, TAb2 vs. TCh3, both of which harbor TP53 deletion and PIK3CA hyperactivation. Our study indicates the limitation of stratifying cancers according to their genetic alterations and suggests that evaluating HNSCC tumor-intrinsic cues along with immune profiles in the TME may help better predict ICI responses. Our experimental models may provide a platform for pinpointing tumor-intrinsic differences underlying an immunosuppressive TME in HNSCCs and for testing combined immunotherapies targeting either tumor-specific or TAM-specific players to improve ICI efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Y. Chen
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA ,grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Vince Popolizio
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Rachel A. Woolaver
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Huaibin Ge
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Alexandra L. Krinsky
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Jessy John
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Etienne Danis
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Yao Ke
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Yonatan Kramer
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA ,grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Li Bian
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Andrew G. Nicklawsky
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pediatrics and Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Dexiang Gao
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pediatrics and Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Cancer Center Biostatistics Core, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Silvia Liu
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Xiao-jing Wang
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XDepartment of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Jing H. Wang
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
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Wan Z, Sun R, Liu YW, Li S, Sun J, Li J, Zhu J, Moharil P, Zhang B, Ren P, Ren G, Zhang M, Ma X, Dai S, Yang D, Lu B, Li S. Targeting metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 for cancer immunotherapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj4226. [PMID: 34890233 PMCID: PMC8664261 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj4226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we report a novel role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (GRM4) in suppressing antitumor immunity. We revealed in three murine syngeneic tumor models (B16, MC38, and 3LL) that either genetic knockout (Grm4−/−) or pharmacological inhibition led to significant delay in tumor growth. Mechanistically, perturbation of GRM4 resulted in a strong antitumor immunity by promoting natural killer (NK), CD4+, and CD8+ T cells toward an activated, proliferative, and functional phenotype. Single-cell RNA sequencing and T cell receptor profiling further defined the clonal expansion and immune landscape changes in CD8+ T cells. We further showed that Grm4−/− intrinsically activated interferon-γ production in CD8+ T cells through cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP)/cAMP response element binding protein–mediated pathway. Our study appears to be of clinical significance as a signature of NKhigh-GRM4low and CD8high-GRM4low correlated with improved survival in patients with melanoma. Targeting GRM4 represents a new approach for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoya Wan
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Runzi Sun
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Yang-Wuyue Liu
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Sihan Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Jiang Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Junjie Zhu
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Pearl Moharil
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Bei Zhang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Pengfei Ren
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Guolian Ren
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Xiaochao Ma
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Shuangshuang Dai
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Da Yang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Binfeng Lu
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Song Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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20
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Chawda C, McMorrow R, Gaspar N, Zambito G, Mezzanotte L. Monitoring Immune Cell Function Through Optical Imaging: a Review Highlighting Transgenic Mouse Models. Mol Imaging Biol 2021; 24:250-263. [PMID: 34735680 PMCID: PMC8983637 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01662-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic mouse models have facilitated research of human diseases and validation of therapeutic approaches. Inclusion of optical reporter genes (fluorescent or bioluminescent genes) in the targeting vectors used to develop such models makes in vivo imaging of cellular and molecular events possible, from the microscale to the macroscale. In particular, transgenic mouse models expressing optical reporter genes allowed accurately distinguishing immune cell types from trafficking in vivo using intravital microscopy or whole-body optical imaging. Besides lineage tracing and trafficking of different subsets of immune cells, the ability to monitor the function of immune cells is of pivotal importance for investigating the effects of immunotherapies against cancer. Here, we introduce the reader to state-of-the-art approaches to develop transgenics, optical imaging techniques, and several notable examples of transgenic mouse models developed for immunology research by critically highlighting the models that allow the following of immune cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chintan Chawda
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roisin McMorrow
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Percuros B.V, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Natasa Gaspar
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Percuros B.V, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Giorgia Zambito
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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21
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Proliferative Clonal T-Cell Infiltrate Mimicking a Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Arising in Active Regression of Melanoma. Am J Dermatopathol 2021; 44:141-144. [PMID: 34291743 DOI: 10.1097/dad.0000000000002025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Complete melanoma regression is an uncommon phenomenon involving a complex interplay of the tumor microenvironment and host immune response. We report a case of an 84-year-old woman with a history of colon and breast cancers who presented with a right forearm tumor, which was found to be a nodular melanoma; focal features of regression were noted in the biopsy. Approximately 6 weeks later, surgical resection of the site revealed no gross evidence of tumor, and histologic sections showed an extensive lymphoid infiltrate with prominent epidermotropism. Rare residual melanoma cells were present in the dermis, best visualized on immunohistochemical stains. T cells predominated in the infiltrate with an inverted CD4:CD8 ratio at approximately 1:2. There was no appreciable loss of pan[FIGURE DASH]T-cell antigens. T-cell receptor beta and gamma gene rearrangements were performed by polymerase chain reaction and demonstrated clonality in each assay. Although a synchronous cutaneous T-cell lymphoma was considered, the overall clinicopathologic features are more in line with an exaggerated host immune response leading to near complete regression of the tumor.
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