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Mankan AK, Mankan N, de Las Heras B, Ramkissoon SH, Bodriagova O, Vidal L, Grande E, Saini KS. Bladder Cancer, Loss of Y Chromosome, and New Opportunities for Immunotherapy. Adv Ther 2024; 41:885-890. [PMID: 38198042 DOI: 10.1007/s12325-023-02758-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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have emerged as an important therapeutic approach for patients with cancers including bladder cancer (BC). This commentary describes a recent study that demonstrated that the loss of Y chromosome (LOY) and/or loss of specific genes on Y chromosome confers an aggressive phenotype to BC because of T cell dysfunction resulting in CD8+T cell exhaustion. Loss of expression of Y chromosome genes KDM5D and UTY was similarly associated with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with BC as these genes were partially responsible for the impaired anti-tumor immunity in LOY tumors. From a clinical perspective, the study showed that tumors with LOY may be susceptible to treatment with ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun K Mankan
- Fortrea Inc., 8, Moore Drive, Durham, NC, 27709, USA.
| | | | | | - Shakti H Ramkissoon
- Labcorp Oncology, Durham, NC, USA
- Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | | | - Laura Vidal
- Fortrea Inc., 8, Moore Drive, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | | | - Kamal S Saini
- Fortrea Inc., 8, Moore Drive, Durham, NC, 27709, USA.
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
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2
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Safa H, Mercinelli C, Spiess PE, Necchi A, Chahoud J. Insights into the management of penile squamous cell carcinoma: from conventional approaches to emerging novel therapies. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024; 25:447-465. [PMID: 38549550 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2337244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC), a rare genitourinary cancer, is associated with poor outcomes due to limited treatment effectiveness, especially in advanced stages. AREAS COVERED While chemotherapy and/or surgery remain the standard of care, emerging therapies like immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and human papillomavirus (HPV) directed therapies show promise. Key to advancing treatment is understanding the immune microenvironment to gain insights into tumor resistance mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. The scarcity of data on PSCC is a major obstacle in advancing research for this rare cancer. EXPERT OPINION Future research should prioritize collaborative efforts across various research centers and countries. Enhancing data sharing and pooling resources can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of PSCC, ultimately supporting the development of precision medicine strategies tailored to this specific cancer type. This collaborative approach is essential for making significant strides in PSCC treatment and care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houssein Safa
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chiara Mercinelli
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
| | - Philippe E Spiess
- Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrea Necchi
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
| | - Jad Chahoud
- Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
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McGale JP, Howell HJ, Beddok A, Tordjman M, Sun R, Chen D, Wu AM, Assi T, Ammari S, Dercle L. Integrating Artificial Intelligence and PET Imaging for Drug Discovery: A Paradigm Shift in Immunotherapy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:210. [PMID: 38399425 PMCID: PMC10892847 DOI: 10.3390/ph17020210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has the potential to become a powerful tool in drug discovery. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of research and highlight the potential for this alliance to advance pharmaceutical innovation by accelerating the development and deployment of novel therapeutics. We previously performed a scoping review of three databases (Embase, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL), identifying 87 studies published between 2018 and 2022 relevant to medical imaging (e.g., CT, PET, MRI), immunotherapy, artificial intelligence, and radiomics. Herein, we reexamine the previously identified studies, performing a subgroup analysis on articles specifically utilizing AI and PET imaging for drug discovery purposes in immunotherapy-treated oncology patients. Of the 87 original studies identified, 15 met our updated search criteria. In these studies, radiomics features were primarily extracted from PET/CT images in combination (n = 9, 60.0%) rather than PET imaging alone (n = 6, 40.0%), and patient cohorts were mostly recruited retrospectively and from single institutions (n = 10, 66.7%). AI models were used primarily for prognostication (n = 6, 40.0%) or for assisting in tumor phenotyping (n = 4, 26.7%). About half of the studies stress-tested their models using validation sets (n = 4, 26.7%) or both validation sets and test sets (n = 4, 26.7%), while the remaining six studies (40.0%) either performed no validation at all or used less stringent methods such as cross-validation on the training set. Overall, the integration of AI and PET imaging represents a paradigm shift in drug discovery, offering new avenues for more efficient development of therapeutics. By leveraging AI algorithms and PET imaging analysis, researchers could gain deeper insights into disease mechanisms, identify new drug targets, or optimize treatment regimens. However, further research is needed to validate these findings and address challenges such as data standardization and algorithm robustness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy P. McGale
- Department of Radiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA (H.J.H.)
| | - Harrison J. Howell
- Department of Radiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA (H.J.H.)
| | - Arnaud Beddok
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institut Godinot, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Mickael Tordjman
- Department of Radiology, Hôtel Dieu Hospital, APHP, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Roger Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy, 94800 Villejuif, France
| | - Delphine Chen
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Anna M. Wu
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Tarek Assi
- International Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Samy Ammari
- Department of Medical Imaging, BIOMAPS, UMR1281 INSERM, CEA, CNRS, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, 94800 Villejuif, France
- ELSAN Department of Radiology, Institut de Cancérologie Paris Nord, 95200 Sarcelles, France
| | - Laurent Dercle
- Department of Radiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA (H.J.H.)
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Hofman P, Berezowska S, Kazdal D, Mograbi B, Ilié M, Stenzinger A, Hofman V. Current challenges and practical aspects of molecular pathology for non-small cell lung cancers. Virchows Arch 2024; 484:233-246. [PMID: 37801103 PMCID: PMC10948551 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03651-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The continuing evolution of treatment options in thoracic oncology requires the pathologist to regularly update diagnostic algorithms for management of tumor samples. It is essential to decide on the best way to use tissue biopsies, cytological samples, as well as liquid biopsies to identify the different mandatory predictive biomarkers of lung cancers in a short turnaround time. However, biological resources and laboratory member workforce are limited and may be not sufficient for the increased complexity of molecular pathological analyses and for complementary translational research development. In this context, the surgical pathologist is the only one who makes the decisions whether or not to send specimens to immunohistochemical and molecular pathology platforms. Moreover, the pathologist can rapidly contact the oncologist to obtain a new tissue biopsy and/or a liquid biopsy if he/she considers that the biological material is not sufficient in quantity or quality for assessment of predictive biomarkers. Inadequate control of algorithms and sampling workflow may lead to false negative, inconclusive, and incomplete findings, resulting in inappropriate choice of therapeutic strategy and potentially poor outcome for patients. International guidelines for lung cancer treatment are based on the results of the expression of different proteins and on genomic alterations. These guidelines have been established taking into consideration the best practices to be set up in clinical and molecular pathology laboratories. This review addresses the current predictive biomarkers and algorithms for use in thoracic oncology molecular pathology as well as the central role of the pathologist, notably in the molecular tumor board and her/his participation in the treatment decision-making. The perspectives in this setting will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Hofman
- Côte d'Azur University, FHU OncoAge, IHU RespirERA, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, BB-0033-00025, Louis Pasteur Hospital, 30 avenue de la voie romaine, BP69, 06001, Nice cedex 01, France.
- Côte d'Azur University, IRCAN, Inserm, CNRS 7284, U1081, Nice, France.
| | - Sabina Berezowska
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Kazdal
- Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
- Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Baharia Mograbi
- Côte d'Azur University, FHU OncoAge, IHU RespirERA, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, BB-0033-00025, Louis Pasteur Hospital, 30 avenue de la voie romaine, BP69, 06001, Nice cedex 01, France
- Côte d'Azur University, IRCAN, Inserm, CNRS 7284, U1081, Nice, France
| | - Marius Ilié
- Côte d'Azur University, FHU OncoAge, IHU RespirERA, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, BB-0033-00025, Louis Pasteur Hospital, 30 avenue de la voie romaine, BP69, 06001, Nice cedex 01, France
- Côte d'Azur University, IRCAN, Inserm, CNRS 7284, U1081, Nice, France
| | - Albrecht Stenzinger
- Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
- Centers for Personalized Medicine (ZPM), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Véronique Hofman
- Côte d'Azur University, FHU OncoAge, IHU RespirERA, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, BB-0033-00025, Louis Pasteur Hospital, 30 avenue de la voie romaine, BP69, 06001, Nice cedex 01, France
- Côte d'Azur University, IRCAN, Inserm, CNRS 7284, U1081, Nice, France
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5
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Gu A, Li J, Wu JA, Li MY, Liu Y. Exploration of Dan-Shen-Yin against pancreatic cancer based on network pharmacology combined with molecular docking and experimental validation. CURRENT RESEARCH IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 7:100228. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crbiot.2024.100228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
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Ying Li CM, Li R, Drew P, Price T, Smith E, Maddern GJ, Tomita Y, Fenix K. Clinical application of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy in colorectal cancer: Current strategies and future challenges. Cancer Treat Rev 2024; 122:102665. [PMID: 38091655 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/01/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health burden and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death. Cytokine induced killer (CIK) cell therapy is an immunotherapy which has the potential to meet this need. Clinical trials of CIK cell therapy for the management of CRC have reported improved clinical outcomes. However, production and delivery protocols varied significantly, and many studies were reported only in Chinese language journals. Here we present the most comprehensive review of the clinical CIK cell therapy trials for CRC management to date. We accessed both English and Chinese language clinical studies, and summarise how CIK cell therapy has been implemented, from manufacturing to patient delivery. We discuss current challenges that impede wider adoption of CIK cell therapy in CRC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Man Ying Li
- Department of Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Runhao Li
- Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; Medical Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and The University of Adelaide, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Paul Drew
- Department of Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Timothy Price
- Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; Medical Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and The University of Adelaide, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Eric Smith
- Department of Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; Medical Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and The University of Adelaide, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Guy J Maddern
- Department of Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Yoko Tomita
- Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; Medical Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and The University of Adelaide, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia
| | - Kevin Fenix
- Department of Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia.
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Xu H, Jia Z, Liu F, Li J, Huang Y, Jiang Y, Pu P, Shang T, Tang P, Zhou Y, Yang Y, Su J, Liu J. Biomarkers and experimental models for cancer immunology investigation. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e437. [PMID: 38045830 PMCID: PMC10693314 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid advancement of tumor immunotherapies poses challenges for the tools used in cancer immunology research, highlighting the need for highly effective biomarkers and reproducible experimental models. Current immunotherapy biomarkers encompass surface protein markers such as PD-L1, genetic features such as microsatellite instability, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and biomarkers in liquid biopsy such as circulating tumor DNAs. Experimental models, ranging from 3D in vitro cultures (spheroids, submerged models, air-liquid interface models, organ-on-a-chips) to advanced 3D bioprinting techniques, have emerged as valuable platforms for cancer immunology investigations and immunotherapy biomarker research. By preserving native immune components or coculturing with exogenous immune cells, these models replicate the tumor microenvironment in vitro. Animal models like syngeneic models, genetically engineered models, and patient-derived xenografts provide opportunities to study in vivo tumor-immune interactions. Humanized animal models further enable the simulation of the human-specific tumor microenvironment. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the advantages, limitations, and prospects of different biomarkers and experimental models, specifically focusing on the role of biomarkers in predicting immunotherapy outcomes and the ability of experimental models to replicate the tumor microenvironment. By integrating cutting-edge biomarkers and experimental models, this review serves as a valuable resource for accessing the forefront of cancer immunology investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengyi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular OncologyNational Cancer Center /National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Ziqi Jia
- Department of Breast Surgical OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Fengshuo Liu
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Jiayi Li
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Department of Breast Surgical OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yansong Huang
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Department of Breast Surgical OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yiwen Jiang
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Pengming Pu
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Tongxuan Shang
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Pengrui Tang
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yongxin Zhou
- Eight‐year MD ProgramSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yufan Yang
- School of MedicineTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jianzhong Su
- Oujiang LaboratoryZhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision, and Brain HealthWenzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular OncologyNational Cancer Center /National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Department of Breast Surgical OncologyNational Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
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Borgeaud M, Sandoval J, Obeid M, Banna G, Michielin O, Addeo A, Friedlaender A. Novel targets for immune-checkpoint inhibition in cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 120:102614. [PMID: 37603905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Immune-checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer therapy, yet many patients either do not derive any benefit from treatment or develop a resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. Intrinsic resistance can result from neoantigen depletion, defective antigen presentation, PD-L1 downregulation, immune-checkpoint ligand upregulation, immunosuppression, and tumor cell phenotypic changes. On the other hand, extrinsic resistance involves acquired upregulation of inhibitory immune-checkpoints, leading to T-cell exhaustion. Current data suggest that PD-1, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 upregulation limits the efficacy of single-agent immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating novel immune-checkpoint targets to avoid or overcome resistance. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of potentially targetable immune-checkpoints in cancer. We highlight their biology, emphasizing the current understanding of resistance mechanisms and focusing on promising strategies that are under investigation. We also summarize current results and ongoing clinical trials in this crucial field that could once again revolutionize outcomes for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michel Obeid
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Switzerland
| | - Giuseppe Banna
- Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, Portsmouth, UK
| | | | | | - Alex Friedlaender
- Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland; Clinique Générale Beaulieu, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Hye Jeong J, Park S, Lee S, Kim Y, Kyong Shim I, Jeong SY, Kyung Choi E, Kim J, Jun E. Orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer using CD34 + humanized mice and generation of tumor organoids from humanized tumors. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 121:110451. [PMID: 37331294 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
In pancreatic cancer (PC) as intractable solid cancer, current research is focused mainly on targeted immunotherapies such as antibodies and immune cell modulators. To identify promising immune-oncological agents, animal models that recapitulate the essential features of human immune status are essential. To this end, we constructed an orthotopic xenograft model using CD34+ human hematopoietic stem cell-based humanized NOD scid gamma mouse (NSG) mice injected with luciferase-expressing PC cell lines AsPC1 and BxPC3. The growth of orthotopic tumors was monitored using noninvasive multimodal imaging, while the subtype profiles of human immune cells in blood and tumor tissues were determined by flow cytometry and immunohistopathology. In addition, the correlations of blood and tumor-infiltrating immune cell count with tumor extracellular matrix density were calculated using Spearman's test. Tumor-derived cell lines and tumor organoids with continuous passage capacity in vitro were isolated from orthotopic tumors. It was further confirmed that these tumor-derived cells and organoids have reduced PD-L1 expression and are suitable for testing the efficacy of specific targeted immunotherapeutic agents. These animal and culture models could facilitate the development and validation of immunotherapeutic agents for intractable solid cancers including PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Sujin Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Medical Science, AMIST, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangyeon Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeounhee Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Medical Science, AMIST, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - In Kyong Shim
- Department of Convergence Medicine, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Yun Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Convergence Medicine, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Asan Preclinical Evaluation Center for Cancer TherapeutiX, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Kyung Choi
- Asan Preclinical Evaluation Center for Cancer TherapeutiX, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Radiation Oncology, ASAN Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinju Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunsung Jun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Convergence Medicine, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Division of Hepato-Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
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Epigenetics and Metabolism Reprogramming Interplay into Glioblastoma: Novel Insights on Immunosuppressive Mechanisms. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12020220. [PMID: 36829778 PMCID: PMC9952003 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system represents a complex environment in which glioblastoma adapts skillfully, unleashing a series of mechanisms suitable for its efficient development and diffusion. In particular, changes in gene expression and mutational events that fall within the domain of epigenetics interact complexly with metabolic reprogramming and stress responses enacted in the tumor microenvironment, which in turn fuel genomic instability by providing substrates for DNA modifications. The aim of this review is to analyze this complex interaction that consolidates several conditions that confer a state of immunosuppression and immunoevasion, making glioblastoma capable of escaping attack and elimination by immune cells and therefore invincible against current therapies. The progressive knowledge of the cellular mechanisms that underlie the resistance of the glioblastoma represents, in fact, the only weapon to unmask its weak points to be exploited to plan successful therapeutic strategies.
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Gan X, Ding D, Wang M, Yang Y, Sun D, Li W, Ding W, Yang F, Zhou W, Yuan S. DANCR deletion retards the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma based on gene knockout and patient-derived xenograft in situ hepatoma mice model. Cancer Lett 2022; 550:215930. [PMID: 36183859 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215930] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Our previous study has demonstrated that the expression level of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) increases in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), contributing to the initiation and aggravation of such kind of malignant tumor, which is recognized as a promising therapeutic target for patients with HCC. To further investigate the effect of DANCR on HCC in preclinical models, we generated a Dancr knockout (KO) mice model by Cas9/gRNA technology and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) in situ hepatoma mice model using immunodeficient mice and utilized adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) delivery DANCR-shRNA system to silence the expression of DANCR in xenograft tumor. Here, we reported that Dancr expression mainly occurred in hepatocytes and its depletion significantly alleviated hepatic fibrosis in mice and showed a prospective result with smaller tumor size and fewer number of tumors in HCC preclinical mice model. Additionally, we found that the expression of Dancr in mice cirrhotic liver was positively correlated with the content of Dancr in serum. Overall, DANCR KO can inhibit the occurrence and development of HCC and is a target worthy of further study in patients with HCC.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation/genetics
- Disease Models, Animal
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Gene Knockout Techniques
- Heterografts
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Mice
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- Prospective Studies
- RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
- RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
- RNA, Small Interfering
- RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Gan
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Dongyang Ding
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Mengchao Wang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Yuan Yang
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Dapeng Sun
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Wen Li
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Wenbin Ding
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Fu Yang
- The Department of Medical Genetics, Naval Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Weiping Zhou
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Shengxian Yuan
- The Third Department of Hepatic Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Naval Medical University, 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China.
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12
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Iqbal MJ, Javed Z, Herrera-Bravo J, Sadia H, Anum F, Raza S, Tahir A, Shahwani MN, Sharifi-Rad J, Calina D, Cho WC. Biosensing chips for cancer diagnosis and treatment: a new wave towards clinical innovation. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:354. [PMCID: PMC9664821 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02777-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractRecent technological advances in nanoscience and material designing have led to the development of point-of-care devices for biomolecule sensing and cancer diagnosis. In situ and portable sensing devices for bedside, diagnosis can effectively improve the patient’s clinical outcomes and reduce the mortality rate. Detection of exosomal RNAs by immuno-biochip with increased sensitivity and specificity to diagnose cancer has raised the understanding of the tumor microenvironment and many other technology-based biosensing devices hold great promise for clinical innovations to conquer the unbeatable fort of cancer metastasis. Electrochemical biosensors are the most sensitive category of biomolecule detection sensors with significantly low concentrations down to the atomic level. In this sense, this review addresses the recent advances in cancer detection and diagnosis by developing significant biological sensing devices that are believed to have better sensing potential than existing facilities.
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Yang Y, Zhao T, Chen Q, Li Y, Xiao Z, Xiang Y, Wang B, Qiu Y, Tu S, Jiang Y, Nan Y, Huang Q, Ai K. Nanomedicine Strategies for Heating "Cold" Ovarian Cancer (OC): Next Evolution in Immunotherapy of OC. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2202797. [PMID: 35869032 PMCID: PMC9534959 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202202797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, dramatically improving survival rates of melanoma and lung cancer patients. Nevertheless, immunotherapy is almost ineffective against ovarian cancer (OC) due to its cold tumor immune microenvironment (TIM). Many traditional medications aimed at remodeling TIM are often associated with severe systemic toxicity, require frequent dosing, and show only modest clinical efficacy. In recent years, emerging nanomedicines have demonstrated extraordinary immunotherapeutic effects for OC by reversing the TIM because the physical and biochemical features of nanomedicines can all be harnessed to obtain optimal and expected tissue distribution and cellular uptake. However, nanomedicines are far from being widely explored in the field of OC immunotherapy due to the lack of appreciation for the professional barriers of nanomedicine and pathology, limiting the horizons of biomedical researchers and materials scientists. Herein, a typical cold tumor-OC is adopted as a paradigm to introduce the classification of TIM, the TIM characteristics of OC, and the advantages of nanomedicines for immunotherapy. Subsequently, current nanomedicines are comprehensively summarized through five general strategies to substantially enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy by heating the cold OC. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of this expanding field for improved development of clinical applications are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Yang
- Department of PharmacyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410008P. R. China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DisordersXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410008P. R. China
| | - Tianjiao Zhao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Qiaohui Chen
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Yumei Li
- Department of Assisted ReproductionXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410008P. R. China
| | - Zuoxiu Xiao
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Yuting Xiang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Boyu Wang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Yige Qiu
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Shiqi Tu
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Yitian Jiang
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
| | - Yayun Nan
- Geriatric Medical CenterPeople's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous RegionYinchuanNingxia750002P. R. China
| | - Qiong Huang
- Department of PharmacyXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410008P. R. China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DisordersXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410008P. R. China
| | - Kelong Ai
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular ResearchXiangya School of Pharmaceutical SciencesCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078P. R. China
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14
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Dozzo A, Galvin A, Shin JW, Scalia S, O'Driscoll CM, Ryan KB. Modelling acute myeloid leukemia (AML): What's new? A transition from the classical to the modern. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022:10.1007/s13346-022-01189-4. [PMID: 35930221 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-022-01189-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous malignancy affecting myeloid cells in the bone marrow (BM) but can spread giving rise to impaired hematopoiesis. AML incidence increases with age and is associated with poor prognostic outcomes. There has been a disconnect between the success of novel drug compounds observed in preclinical studies of hematological malignancy and less than exceptional therapeutic responses in clinical trials. This review aims to provide a state-of-the-art overview on the different preclinical models of AML available to expand insights into disease pathology and as preclinical screening tools. Deciphering the complex physiological and pathological processes and developing predictive preclinical models are key to understanding disease progression and fundamental in the development and testing of new effective drug treatments. Standard scaffold-free suspension models fail to recapitulate the complex environment where AML occurs. To this end, we review advances in scaffold/matrix-based 3D models and outline the most recent advances in on-chip technology. We also provide an overview of clinically relevant animal models and review the expanding use of patient-derived samples, which offer the prospect to create more "patient specific" screening tools either in the guise of 3D matrix models, microphysiological "organ-on-chip" tools or xenograft models and discuss representative examples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aoife Galvin
- School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jae-Won Shin
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, 909 S. Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL, 5091 COMRB, USA
| | - Santo Scalia
- Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Caitriona M O'Driscoll
- School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,SSPC Centre for Pharmaceutical Research, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Katie B Ryan
- School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. .,SSPC Centre for Pharmaceutical Research, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) as a predictive biomarker of response to checkpoint blockers in solid tumors: a systematic review. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 177:103773. [PMID: 35917885 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a standard of care in many solid tumors but many patients derive limited benefit from it. There is increasing interest toward tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) since their presence may be related with good outcomes from treatment with immune checkpoint blockers. We aimed at systematically reviewing existing evidence about the role of TILs as possible predictors of response to immunotherapy in solid tumors. We reviewed 1193 records published from January 2010 until December 2021. Associations between TILs and outcomes were observed mainly in melanoma and breast cancer. Overall survival and overall response rate for advanced disease and pathological complete response for early-phase tumors were the most commonly assessed endpoints. No definitive conclusion can be drawn on the predictive role of TILs. Additional studies, exploiting data from prospective, randomized clinical trials should further evaluate TILs also with the aim of identifying standard cut-off to differentiate between high and low TILs.
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Marzagalli M, Pelizzoni G, Fedi A, Vitale C, Fontana F, Bruno S, Poggi A, Dondero A, Aiello M, Castriconi R, Bottino C, Scaglione S. A multi-organ-on-chip to recapitulate the infiltration and the cytotoxic activity of circulating NK cells in 3D matrix-based tumor model. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:945149. [PMID: 35957642 PMCID: PMC9358021 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.945149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of immunotherapeutic approaches strictly depends on the immune cells interaction with cancer cells. While conventional in vitro cell cultures under-represent the complexity and dynamic crosstalk of the tumor microenvironment, animal models do not allow deciphering the anti-tumor activity of the human immune system. Therefore, the development of reliable and predictive preclinical models has become crucial for the screening of immune-therapeutic approaches. We here present an organ-on-chip organ on chips (OOC)-based approach for recapitulating the immune cell Natural Killer (NK) migration under physiological fluid flow, infiltration within a 3D tumor matrix, and activation against neuroblastoma cancer cells in a humanized, fluid-dynamic environment. Circulating NK cells actively initiate a spontaneous “extravasation” process toward the physically separated tumor niche, retaining their ability to interact with matrix-embedded tumor cells, and to display a cytotoxic effect (tumor cell apoptosis). Since NK cells infiltration and phenotype is correlated with prognosis and response to immunotherapy, their phenotype is also investigated: most importantly, a clear decrease in CD16-positive NK cells within the migrated and infiltrated population is observed. The proposed immune-tumor OOC-based model represents a promising approach for faithfully recapitulating the human pathology and efficiently employing the immunotherapies testing, eventually in a personalized perspective. An immune-organ on chip to recapitulate the tumor-mediated infiltration of circulating immune cells within 3D tumor model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgia Pelizzoni
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Della Scienza, Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Fedi
- National Research Council, CNR-IEIIT, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Vitale
- National Research Council, CNR-IEIIT, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Fontana
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (DiSFeB), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Bruno
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Poggi
- Molecular Oncology and Angiogenesis Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dondero
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Castriconi
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Cristina Bottino
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Scaglione
- National Research Council, CNR-IEIIT, Genoa, Italy
- *Correspondence: Silvia Scaglione,
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PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint Inhibitors Are Active in the Chicken Embryo Model and Show Antitumor Efficacy In Ovo. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133095. [PMID: 35804865 PMCID: PMC9264844 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133095] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer immunotherapy, also known as immuno-oncology (IO), has made impressive progress in recent decades and is becoming an essential approach for cancer treatments. For IO drug development, a pertinent preclinical model is indispensable for the rapid and efficient transition from preclinical evaluation through to clinical progress. To date, rodents represent the most-often used models for preclinical evaluation. However, their use presents several drawbacks, including ethical constraints, and time-consuming and costly experiments, which could slow down IO drug development. The aim of our study was to assess the use of the chicken embryo (in ovo) model as an alternative in vivo model for evaluating IO drugs. We confirmed in ovo the anti-tumor efficacy of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) checkpoint inhibitors based on the Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay, revealing the pertinence of the chicken embryo model in its use for IO research. Abstract (1) Purpose: To assess the use of the chicken embryo (in ovo) model as an alternative in vivo model for immuno-oncology (IO) drug development, focusing on programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors. (2) Methods: First, the presence of immune cells in the model was detected through the immunophenotyping of chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) based on fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis and the immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of in ovo tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Second, the cross-reactivity between one anti-human PD-1 Ab, pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®), and chicken PD-1 was verified through the labelling of chicken splenocytes with pembrolizumab by FACS analysis. Third, the blockade effect of pembrolizumab on chicken PBMCs was assessed in vitro through cytotoxicity assay based on MTT. Fourth, the CAM assay was used to estimate the anti-tumor performance of pembrolizumab through the analyses of tumor growth and chicken immune cell infiltration in tumors. Finally, the efficacy of several PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors (nivolumab, atezolizumab and avelumab) on tumor growth was further assessed using the CAM assay. (3) Results: The presence of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T lymphocytes and monocytes was confirmed by FACS and IHC analyses. During in vitro assays, pembrolizumab cross-reacted with chicken lymphocytes and induced PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, which permitted the restoration of chicken T-cell’s cytotoxicity against human lung cancer H460 tumor cells. All these in vitro results were correlated with in ovo findings based on the CAM assay: pembrolizumab inhibited H460 tumor growth and induced evident chicken immune cell infiltration (with significant chicken CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD56 markers) in tumors. Furthermore, the potency of the CAM assay was not limited to the application of pembrolizumab. Nivolumab, atezolizumab and avelumab also led to tumor growth inhibition in ovo, on different tumor models. (4) Conclusions: The chicken embryo affords a physiological, immune reactive, in vivo environment for IO research, which allows observation of how the immune system defense against tumor cells, as well as the different immune tolerance mechanisms leading to tumor immune escape. The encouraging results obtained with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in this study reveal the potential use of the chicken embryo model as an alternative, fast, and reliable in vivo model in the different fields of IO drug discovery.
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