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Muquith M, Espinoza M, Elliott A, Xiu J, Seeber A, El-Deiry W, Antonarakis ES, Graff SL, Hall MJ, Borghaei H, Hoon DSB, Liu SV, Ma PC, McKay RR, Wise-Draper T, Marshall J, Sledge GW, Spetzler D, Zhu H, Hsiehchen D. Tissue-specific thresholds of mutation burden associated with anti-PD-1/L1 therapy benefit and prognosis in microsatellite-stable cancers. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:1121-1129. [PMID: 38528112 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00752-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein 1 or its ligand (PD-1/L1) have expanded the treatment landscape against cancers but are effective in only a subset of patients. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is postulated to be a generic determinant of ICI-dependent tumor rejection. Here we describe the association between TMB and survival outcomes among microsatellite-stable cancers in a real-world clinicogenomic cohort consisting of 70,698 patients distributed across 27 histologies. TMB was associated with survival benefit or detriment depending on tissue and treatment context, with eight cancer types demonstrating a specific association between TMB and improved outcomes upon treatment with anti-PD-1/L1 therapies. Survival benefits were noted over a broad range of TMB cutoffs across cancer types, and a dose-dependent relationship between TMB and outcomes was observed in a subset of cancers. These results have implications for the use of cancer-agnostic and universal TMB cutoffs to guide the use of anti-PD-1/L1 therapies, and they underline the importance of tissue context in the development of ICI biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maishara Muquith
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Magdalena Espinoza
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Andreas Seeber
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Wafik El-Deiry
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Experimental Cancer Therapeutics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Emmanuel S Antonarakis
- Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stephanie L Graff
- Lifespan Cancer Institute, Legorreta Cancer Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Michael J Hall
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hossein Borghaei
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dave S B Hoon
- Department of Translational Molecular Medicine, Saint John's Cancer Institute, Providence Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Stephen V Liu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Rana R McKay
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Trisha Wise-Draper
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - John Marshall
- Ruesch Center for The Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Hao Zhu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - David Hsiehchen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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2
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Glehr G, Riquelme P, Kronenberg K, Lohmayer R, López-Madrona VJ, Kapinsky M, Schlitt HJ, Geissler EK, Spang R, Haferkamp S, Hutchinson JA. Restricting datasets to classifiable samples augments discovery of immune disease biomarkers. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5417. [PMID: 38926389 PMCID: PMC11208602 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49094-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunological diseases are typically heterogeneous in clinical presentation, severity and response to therapy. Biomarkers of immune diseases often reflect this variability, especially compared to their regulated behaviour in health. This leads to a common difficulty that frustrates biomarker discovery and interpretation - namely, unequal dispersion of immune disease biomarker expression between patient classes necessarily limits a biomarker's informative range. To solve this problem, we introduce dataset restriction, a procedure that splits datasets into classifiable and unclassifiable samples. Applied to synthetic flow cytometry data, restriction identifies biomarkers that are otherwise disregarded. In advanced melanoma, restriction finds biomarkers of immune-related adverse event risk after immunotherapy and enables us to build multivariate models that accurately predict immunotherapy-related hepatitis. Hence, dataset restriction augments discovery of immune disease biomarkers, increases predictive certainty for classifiable samples and improves multivariate models incorporating biomarkers with a limited informative range. This principle can be directly extended to any classification task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunther Glehr
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Paloma Riquelme
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Robert Lohmayer
- Algorithmic Bioinformatics Research Group, Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Hans J Schlitt
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Edward K Geissler
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Spang
- Department of Statistical Bioinformatics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Haferkamp
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - James A Hutchinson
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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Uinarni H, Oghenemaro EF, Menon SV, Hjazi A, Ibrahim FM, Kaur M, Zafarjonovna AZ, Deorari M, Jabir MS, Zwamel AH. Breaking Barriers: Nucleic Acid Aptamers in Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Therapy. Cell Biochem Biophys 2024:10.1007/s12013-024-01367-w. [PMID: 38916791 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-024-01367-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Conventional cancer therapies can have significant adverse effects as they are not targeted to cancer cells and may damage healthy cells. Single-stranded oligonucleotides assembled in a particular architecture, known as aptamers, enable them to attach selectively to target areas. Usually, they are created by Systematic Evolution of Ligand by Exponential enrichment (SELEX), and they go through a rigorous pharmacological revision process to change their therapeutic half-life, affinity, and specificity. They could thus offer a viable substitute for antibodies in the targeted cancer treatment market. Although aptamers can be a better choice in some situations, antibodies are still appropriate for many other uses. The technique of delivering aptamers is simple and reasonable, and the time needed to manufacture them is relatively brief. Aptamers do not require animals or an immune response to be produced, in contrast to antibodies. When used as a medication, aptamers can directly suppress tumor cells. As an alternative, they can be included in systems for targeted drug delivery that administer medications specifically to tumor cells while reducing toxicity to healthy cells. The most recent and cutting-edge methods for treating gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancer with aptamers will be covered in this review, with a focus on targeted therapy as a means of conquering resistance to traditional medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herlina Uinarni
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Radiology department of Pantai Indah Kapuk Hospital Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Enwa Felix Oghenemaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
| | - Soumya V Menon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Sciences, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatma Magdi Ibrahim
- Assisstant professor, Community Health Nursing, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
- Lecturer, geriatric nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mandeep Kaur
- Department of Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303012, India
| | | | - Mahamedha Deorari
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Majid S Jabir
- Department of applied sciences, University of technology, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Hussein Zwamel
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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4
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Sawant A, Shi F, Lopes EC, Hu Z, Abdelfattah S, Baul J, Powers J, Hinrichs CS, Rabinowitz JD, Chan CS, Lattime EC, Ganesan S, White E. Immune Checkpoint Blockade Delays Cancer and Extends Survival in Murine DNA Polymerase Mutator Syndromes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.10.597960. [PMID: 38915517 PMCID: PMC11195045 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.597960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in polymerases Pold1 and Pole exonuclease domains in humans are associated with increased cancer incidence, elevated tumor mutation burden (TMB) and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Although ICB is approved for treatment of several cancers, not all tumors with elevated TMB respond. Here we generated Pold1 and Pole proofreading mutator mice and show that ICB treatment of mice with high TMB tumors did not improve survival as only a subset of tumors responded. Similarly, introducing the mutator alleles into mice with Kras/p53 lung cancer did not improve survival, however, passaging mutator tumor cells in vitro without immune editing caused rejection in immune-competent hosts, demonstrating the efficiency by which cells with antigenic mutations are eliminated. Finally, ICB treatment of mutator mice earlier, before observable tumors delayed cancer onset, improved survival, and selected for tumors without aneuploidy, suggesting the use of ICB in individuals at high risk for cancer prevention. Highlights Germline somatic and conditional Pold1 and Pole exonuclease domain mutations in mice produce a mutator phenotype. Spontaneous cancers arise in mutator mice that have genomic features comparable to human tumors with these mutations.ICB treatment of mutator mice with tumors did not improve survival as only a subset of tumors respond. Introduction of the mutator alleles into an autochthonous mouse lung cancer model also did not produce immunogenic tumors, whereas passaging mutator tumor cells in vitro caused immune rejection indicating efficient selection against antigenic mutations in vivo . Prophylactic ICB treatment delayed cancer onset, improved survival, and selected for tumors with no aneuploidy.
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Fey RM, Nichols RA, Tran TT, Vandenbark AA, Kulkarni RP. MIF and CD74 as Emerging Biomarkers for Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1773. [PMID: 38730725 PMCID: PMC11082995 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is used to treat a wide range of cancers; however, some patients are at risk of developing treatment resistance and/or immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Thus, there is a great need for the identification of reliable predictive biomarkers for response and toxicity. The cytokine MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) and its cognate receptor CD74 are intimately connected with cancer progression and have previously been proposed as prognostic biomarkers for patient outcome in various cancers, including solid tumors such as malignant melanoma. Here, we assess their potential as predictive biomarkers for response to ICB therapy and irAE development. We provide a brief overview of their function and roles in the context of cancer and autoimmune disease. We also review the evidence showing that MIF and CD74 may be of use as predictive biomarkers of patient response to ICB therapy and irAE development. We also highlight that careful consideration is required when assessing the potential of serum MIF levels as a biomarker due to its reported circadian expression in human plasma. Finally, we suggest future directions for the establishment of MIF and CD74 as predictive biomarkers for ICB therapy and irAE development to guide further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalyn M. Fey
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (R.A.N.)
| | - Rebecca A. Nichols
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (R.A.N.)
| | - Thuy T. Tran
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Arthur A. Vandenbark
- Neuroimmunology Research, R&D-31, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Rajan P. Kulkarni
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA (R.A.N.)
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center (CEDAR), Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Operative Care Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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Pirkey AC, Deng W, Norman D, Razazan A, Klinke DJ. Head-to-Head Comparison of CCN4, DNMT3A, PTPN11, and SPARC as Suppressors of Anti-tumor Immunity. Cell Mol Bioeng 2023; 16:431-442. [PMID: 38099213 PMCID: PMC10716093 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-023-00787-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Emergent cancer cells likely secrete factors that inhibit anti-tumor immunity. To identify such factors, we applied a functional assay with proteomics to an immunotherapy resistant syngeneic mouse melanoma model. Four secreted factors were identified that potentially mediate immunosuppression and could become targets for novel immunotherapies. We tested for consistent clinical correlates in existing human data and verified in vivo whether knocking out tumor cell production of these factors improved immune-mediated control of tumor growth. Methods Existing human data was analyzed for clinical correlates. A CRISPR/Cas9 approach to generate knockout cell lines and a kinetic analysis leveraging a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach quantified the various knockouts' effect on cells' intrinsic growth rate. Flow cytometry was used to characterize differences in immune infiltration. Results While all four gene products were produced by malignant melanocytes, only increased CCN4 expression was associated with reduced survival in primary melanoma patients. In immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice the CCN4 knockout increased survival while the other knockouts had no effect. This survival advantage was lost when the CCN4 knockout cells were injected into immunocompromised hosts, indicating that the effect of CCN4 may be immune mediated. Parameter estimation from the MCMC analysis shows that CCN4 was the only knockout tested that decreased the net tumor growth rate in immunocompetent mice. Flow cytometry showed an increase in NK cell infiltration in CCN4 knockout tumors. Conclusions The results suggest that CCN4 is a mediator of immunosuppression in the melanoma tumor microenvironment and a potential collateral immunotherapy target. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-023-00787-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anika C. Pirkey
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6102, Morgantown, WV 26506-6102 USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
| | - Wentao Deng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology, P.O. Box 9177, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
| | - Danielle Norman
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6102, Morgantown, WV 26506-6102 USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
| | - Atefeh Razazan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology, P.O. Box 9177, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
| | - David J. Klinke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Cell Biology, P.O. Box 9177, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6102, Morgantown, WV 26506-6102 USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506 USA
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7
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Brennan S, O'Neill J, Kennedy S. Verification and validation of the anti-PD-L1 antibody, Clone 22C 3 on a laboratory-developed test. J Clin Pathol 2023; 76:678-683. [PMID: 35820775 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2022-208353] [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: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The first aim of this study is to compare and validate the performance of the programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-L1) IHC 22C3 pharmDx assay kit processed via Dako Omnis platform with the Dako Autostainer Link 48. The second aim is to examine the concordance of scoring by pathologists using the same immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay on the Dako Omnis platform and the Dako Autostainer Link 48. METHODS Fourty-seven formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumour were stained with the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx assay kit processed via the Dako Autostainer Link 48 and the Dako Omnis platform. Combined positive score (CPS) was ascribed by two scoring pathologists, with discordant cases provided with an agreed score. RESULTS First, identical staining patterns were identified. Second, high agreement of PD-L1 scores when a CPS cut-off of 1 was implemented illustrated an overall agreement of 94%, positive agreement of 100% and negative agreement of 88%. Finally, results highlight an intraexaminer concordance of 89% and interexaminer concordance of 85% and 92%. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, we propose to open for discussion the deconstruction of the current practice of a compulsory companion diagnostic test (CDT) for a particular PD-L1 immunohistochemical assay. The implementation of laboratory developed tests as an alternative to the CDT poses as a novel and readily available method to surmount limitations posed to pathology laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susan Kennedy
- Pathology, Saint Vincent's, Dublin, Ireland
- Pathology, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Young AL, Lorimer T, Al-Khalidi SK, Roberts EW. De novo priming: driver of immunotherapy responses or epiphenomenon? Essays Biochem 2023; 67:929-939. [PMID: 37139854 PMCID: PMC10539938 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of immunotherapy, in particular immune checkpoint inhibition, has revolutionised the treatment of a range of tumours; however, only a minority of patients respond to these therapies. Understanding the mechanisms by which different immune checkpoint inhibitors work will be critical for both predicting patients who will respond and to developing rational combination therapies to extend these benefits further. The initiation and maintenance of anti-tumour T cell responses is a complicated process split between both the tumour microenvironment and the tumour draining lymph node. As understanding of this process has increased, it has become apparent that immune checkpoint inhibitors can act both within the tumour and in the draining lymph node and that they can target both already activated T cells as well as stimulating the priming of novel T cell clones. Currently, it seems likely that immune checkpoint inhibition acts both within the tumour and in the tumour draining lymph node both reinvigorating existing clones and driving further de novo priming of novel clones. The relative contributions of these sites and targets may depend on the type of model being used and the timeline of the response. Shorter models emphasise the effect of reinvigoration in the absence of recruitment of new clones but studies spanning longer time periods examining T cell clones in patients demonstrate clonal replacement. Ultimately, further work is needed to determine which of the diverse effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors are the fundamental drivers of anti-tumour responses in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Edward W Roberts
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, U.K
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland, U.K
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Yu P, Lian Y, Zuleger CL, Albertini RJ, Albertini MR, Newton MA. SURROGATE SELECTION OVERSAMPLES EXPANDED T CELL CLONOTYPES. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.13.548950. [PMID: 37503118 PMCID: PMC10369934 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.13.548950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Inference from immunological data on cells in the adaptive immune system may benefit from modeling specifications that describe variation in the sizes of various clonal sub-populations. We develop one such specification in order to quantify the effects of surrogate selection assays, which we confirm may lead to an enrichment for amplified, potentially disease-relevant T cell clones. Our specification couples within-clonotype birth-death processes with an exchangeable model across clonotypes. Beyond enrichment questions about the surrogate selection design, our framework enables a study of sampling properties of elementary sample diversity statistics; it also points to new statistics that may usefully measure the burden of somatic genomic alterations associated with clonal expansion. We examine statistical properties of immunological samples governed by the coupled model specification, and we illustrate calculations in surrogate selection studies of melanoma and in single-cell genomic studies of T cell repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Yu
- Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin, Madison
| | - Yumin Lian
- Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison
| | - Cindy L. Zuleger
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison
| | | | - Mark R. Albertini
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Medical Service, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison
| | - Michael A. Newton
- Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin, Madison
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10
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Mestrallet G, Brown M, Bozkus CC, Bhardwaj N. Immune escape and resistance to immunotherapy in mismatch repair deficient tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1210164. [PMID: 37492581 PMCID: PMC10363668 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to 30% of colorectal, endometrial and gastric cancers have a deficiency in mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression due to either germline or epigenetic inactivation. Patients with Lynch Syndrome who inherit an inactive MMR allele have an up to 80% risk for developing a mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) cancer. Due to an inability to repair DNA, MMRd tumors present with genomic instability in microsatellite regions (MS). Tumors with high MS instability (MSI-H) are characterized by an increased frequency of insertion/deletions (indels) that can encode novel neoantigens if they occur in coding regions. The high tumor antigen burden for MMRd cancers is accompanied by an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) that contributes to the clinical effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy in this patient population. However, between 40 and 70% of MMRd cancer patients do not respond to treatment with PD-1 blockade, suggesting that tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic resistance mechanisms may affect the success of checkpoint blockade. Immune evasion mechanisms that occur during early tumorigenesis and persist through cancer development may provide a window into resistance pathways that limit the effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy. Here, we review the mechanisms of immune escape in MMRd tumors during development and checkpoint blockade treatment, including T cell dysregulation and myeloid cell-mediated immunosuppression in the TME. Finally, we discuss the development of new therapeutic approaches to tackle resistance in MMRd tumors, including cancer vaccines, therapies targeting immunosuppressive myeloid programs, and immune checkpoint combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Mestrallet
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Brown
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cansu Cimen Bozkus
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Extramural member, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, United States
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11
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Misetic H, Keddar MR, Jeannon JP, Ciccarelli FD. Mechanistic insights into the interactions between cancer drivers and the tumour immune microenvironment. Genome Med 2023; 15:40. [PMID: 37277866 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01197-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The crosstalk between cancer and the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) has attracted significant interest in the latest years because of its impact on cancer evolution and response to treatment. Despite this, cancer-specific tumour-TIME interactions and their mechanistic insights are still poorly understood. METHODS Here, we compute the significant interactions occurring between cancer-specific genetic drivers and five anti- and pro-tumour TIME features in 32 cancer types using Lasso regularised ordinal regression. Focusing on head and neck squamous cancer (HNSC), we rebuild the functional networks linking specific TIME driver alterations to the TIME state they associate with. RESULTS The 477 TIME drivers that we identify are multifunctional genes whose alterations are selected early in cancer evolution and recur across and within cancer types. Tumour suppressors and oncogenes have an opposite effect on the TIME and the overall anti-tumour TIME driver burden is predictive of response to immunotherapy. TIME driver alterations predict the immune profiles of HNSC molecular subtypes, and perturbations in keratinization, apoptosis and interferon signalling underpin specific driver-TIME interactions. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our study delivers a comprehensive resource of TIME drivers, gives mechanistic insights into their immune-regulatory role, and provides an additional framework for patient prioritisation to immunotherapy. The full list of TIME drivers and associated properties are available at http://www.network-cancer-genes.org .
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Affiliation(s)
- Hrvoje Misetic
- Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, SE11UL, UK
| | - Mohamed Reda Keddar
- Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, SE11UL, UK
| | - Jean-Pierre Jeannon
- Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Great Maze Pond, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Francesca D Ciccarelli
- Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, SE11UL, UK.
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12
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Minaei N, Ramezankhani R, Tamimi A, Piryaei A, Zarrabi A, Aref AR, Mostafavi E, Vosough M. Immunotherapeutic approaches in Hepatocellular carcinoma: Building blocks of hope in near future. Eur J Cell Biol 2023; 102:151284. [PMID: 36584598 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary hepatic cancer and is among the major causes of mortality due to cancer. Due to the lack of efficient conventional therapeutic options for this cancer, particularly in advanced cases, novel treatments including immunotherapy have been considered. However, despite the encouraging clinical outcomes after implementing these innovative approaches, such as oncolytic viruses (OVs), adoptive cell therapies (ACT), immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs), and cancer vaccines, several factors have restricted their therapeutic effect. The main concern is the existence of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Combination of different ICBs or ICBs plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors have shown promising results in overcoming these limiting factors to some extent. Combination of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) antibody Atezolizumab and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody Bevacizumab has become the standard of care in the first-line therapy for untestable HCC, approved by regulatory agencies. This paper highlighted a wide overview of the direct and indirect immunotherapeutic strategies proposed for the treatment of HCC patients and the common challenges that have hindered their further clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Minaei
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran; Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Roya Ramezankhani
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran; Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran; Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Atena Tamimi
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Piryaei
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul 34396, Turkey
| | - Amir Reza Aref
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ebrahim Mostafavi
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran; Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran; Experimental Cancer Medicine, Institution for Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital-Huddinge, Sweden.
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13
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Safaeifard F, Goliaei B, Aref AR, Foroughmand-Araabi MH, Goliaei S, Lorch J, Jenkins RW, Barbie DA, Shariatpanahi SP, Rüegg C. Distinct Dynamics of Migratory Response to PD-1 and CTLA-4 Blockade Reveals New Mechanistic Insights for Potential T-Cell Reinvigoration following Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Cells 2022; 11:3534. [PMID: 36428963 PMCID: PMC9688893 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223534] [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: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), two clinically relevant targets for the immunotherapy of cancer, are negative regulators of T-cell activation and migration. Optimizing the therapeutic response to CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade calls for a more comprehensive insight into the coordinated function of these immune regulators. Mathematical modeling can be used to elucidate nonlinear tumor-immune interactions and highlight the underlying mechanisms to tackle the problem. Here, we investigated and statistically characterized the dynamics of T-cell migration as a measure of the functional response to these pathways. We used a previously developed three-dimensional organotypic culture of patient-derived tumor spheroids treated with anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies for this purpose. Experiment-based dynamical modeling revealed the delayed kinetics of PD-1 activation, which originates from the distinct characteristics of PD-1 and CTLA-4 regulation, and followed through with the modification of their contributions to immune modulation. The simulation results show good agreement with the tumor cell reduction and active immune cell count in each experiment. Our findings demonstrate that while PD-1 activation provokes a more exhaustive intracellular cascade within a mature tumor environment, the time-delayed kinetics of PD-1 activation outweighs its preeminence at the individual cell level and consequently confers a functional dominance to the CTLA-4 checkpoint. The proposed model explains the distinct immunostimulatory pattern of PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade based on mechanisms involved in the regulation of their expression and may be useful for planning effective treatment schemes targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fateme Safaeifard
- Laboratory of Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Bahram Goliaei
- Laboratory of Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Amir R. Aref
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Xsphera Biosciences Inc., Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | | | - Sama Goliaei
- Faculty of New Sciences & Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran 1439957131, Iran
| | - Jochen Lorch
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Russell W. Jenkins
- MassGeneral Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David A. Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Seyed Peyman Shariatpanahi
- Laboratory of Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Curzio Rüegg
- Laboratory of Experimental and Translational Oncology, Department of Oncology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Faculty of Sciences and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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14
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Sidhom JW, Oliveira G, Ross-MacDonald P, Wind-Rotolo M, Wu CJ, Pardoll DM, Baras AS. Deep learning reveals predictive sequence concepts within immune repertoires to immunotherapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq5089. [PMID: 36112691 PMCID: PMC9481116 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing has been used to characterize the immune response to cancer. However, most analyses have been restricted to quantitative measures such as clonality that do not leverage the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) sequence. We use DeepTCR, a framework of deep learning algorithms, to reveal sequence concepts that are predictive of response to immunotherapy. We demonstrate that DeepTCR can predict response and use the model to infer the antigenic specificities of the predictive signature and their unique dynamics during therapy. The predictive signature of nonresponse is associated with high frequencies of TCRs predicted to recognize tumor-specific antigens, and these tumor-specific TCRs undergo a higher degree of dynamic changes on therapy in nonresponders versus responders. These results are consistent with a biological model where the hallmark of nonresponders is an accumulation of tumor-specific T cells that undergo turnover on therapy, possibly because of the dysfunctional state of these T cells in nonresponders.
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Affiliation(s)
- John-William Sidhom
- Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giacomo Oliveira
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Catherine J. Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Drew M. Pardoll
- Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alexander S. Baras
- Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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15
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Jeon MJ, Lee H, Lee J, Baek SY, Lee D, Jo S, Lee JY, Kang M, Jung HR, Han SB, Kim NJ, Lee S, Kim H. Development of Potent Immune Modulators Targeting Stimulator of Interferon Genes Receptor. J Med Chem 2022; 65:5407-5432. [PMID: 35315650 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is an endoplasmic reticulum-membrane protein that plays important roles in cancer immunotherapy by activating innate immune responses. We designed and synthesized STING modulators and characterized compounds 4a and 4c that share a crucial amidobenzimidazole moiety. In vitro STING binding and cell-based activity assays demonstrated the potency and efficacy of the compounds that function as direct STING agonists by stimulating STING downstream signaling and promoting type I interferon immune responses. In vitro metabolic studies and the pharmacokinetic properties of the compounds led us to investigate their anticancer activity in an in vivo syngeneic model. Intravenous injection of compounds 4a and 4c significantly decreased tumor volume in a CT26 murine colorectal carcinoma model, and the immunological memory-derived cancer inhibition was observed in 4c-treated mouse models. The present results suggest the therapeutic potential of the compounds for cancer immunotherapy via STING-mediated immune activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jae Jeon
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyelim Lee
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeehee Lee
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department for HY-KIST Bio-convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Yeon Baek
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghee Lee
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongman Jo
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.,Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo-Youn Lee
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Miso Kang
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Ra Jung
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bong Han
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Jung Kim
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.,Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghee Lee
- Creative Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.,Department for HY-KIST Bio-convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Kim
- Therapeutics & Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
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16
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Qureshi S, Chan N, George M, Ganesan S, Toppmeyer D, Omene C. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: The Search for the Optimal Biomarker. Biomark Insights 2022; 17:11772719221078774. [PMID: 35221668 PMCID: PMC8874164 DOI: 10.1177/11772719221078774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high-risk and aggressive malignancy characterized by the absence of estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) on the surface of malignant cells, and by the lack of overexpression of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2). It has limited therapeutic options compared to other subtypes of breast cancer. There is now a growing body of evidence on the role of immunotherapy in TNBC, however much of the data from clinical trials is conflicting and thus, challenging for clinicians to integrate the data into clinical practice. Landmark phase III trials using immunotherapy in the early-stage neoadjuvant setting concluded that the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy improved the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate compared to chemotherapy with placebo while others found no significant improvement in pCR. Phase III trials have investigated the utility of immunotherapy in previously untreated metastatic TNBC, and these studies have similarly arrived at inconsistent conclusions. Some studies showed no benefit while others demonstrated a clinically significant improvement in overall survival in the PD-L1 positive population. It is not yet clear which biomarkers are most useful, and assays for these biomarkers have not been standardized. Given the often serious and severe side effects of immunotherapy, it is important and necessary to identify predictive biomarkers of response and resistance in order to enhance patient selection. In this review, we will discuss both the challenges of traditional biomarkers and the opportunities of emerging biomarkers for patient selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadaf Qureshi
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nancy Chan
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Mridula George
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Shridar Ganesan
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Deborah Toppmeyer
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Coral Omene
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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17
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Healey Bird B, Nally K, Ronan K, Clarke G, Amu S, Almeida AS, Flavin R, Finn S. Cancer Immunotherapy with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors-Biomarkers of Response and Toxicity; Current Limitations and Future Promise. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:124. [PMID: 35054292 PMCID: PMC8775044 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12010124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies that are used to treat over one in three cancer patients. While they have changed the natural history of disease, prolonging life and preserving quality of life, they are highly active in less than 40% of patients, even in the most responsive malignancies such as melanoma, and cause significant autoimmune side effects. Licenced biomarkers include tumour Programmed Death Ligand 1 expression by immunohistochemistry, microsatellite instability, and tumour mutational burden, none of which are particularly sensitive or specific. Emerging tumour and immune tissue biomarkers such as novel immunohistochemistry scores, tumour, stromal and immune cell gene expression profiling, and liquid biomarkers such as systemic inflammatory markers, kynurenine/tryptophan ratio, circulating immune cells, cytokines and DNA are discussed in this review. We also examine the influence of the faecal microbiome on treatment outcome and its use as a biomarker of response and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Healey Bird
- School of Medicine, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland
- Bon Secours Hospital, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland
| | - Ken Nally
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland;
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland; (G.C.); (A.S.A.)
| | - Karine Ronan
- Department of Oncology, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, D04 T6F4 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland; (G.C.); (A.S.A.)
- Department of Psychiatry, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland
| | - Sylvie Amu
- Cancer Research at UCC, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland;
| | - Ana S. Almeida
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland; (G.C.); (A.S.A.)
| | - Richard Flavin
- Department of Histopathology, Trinity College Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland; (R.F.); (S.F.)
- St. James’s Hospital Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen Finn
- Department of Histopathology, Trinity College Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland; (R.F.); (S.F.)
- St. James’s Hospital Dublin, D08 NHY1 Dublin, Ireland
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18
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He S, Liu J, Zhang C, Wang J, Pu K. Semiconducting Polymer Nano-regulators with Cascading Activation for Photodynamic Cancer Immunotherapy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 61:e202116669. [PMID: 34967097 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202116669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Combination photoimmunotherapy holds promise for tumor suppression; however, smart phototherapeutic agents that only activate their immunotherapeutic action in tumor have been rarely developed, which have the potential advantage of reduced side effect. Herein, we report a semiconducting polymer nano-regulator (SPN T ) with cascading activation for combinational photodynamic immunotherapy of cancer. SPN T comprises an immunoregulator (M-Trp: 1-methyltryptophan ) conjugating to the side chain of semiconducting polymer backbone using an apoptotic biomarker-cleavable linker. Under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, SPN T produces singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) to cause immunogenic apoptosis . Concurrently, the upregulation of apoptotic biomarker triggers the specific cleavage of M-Trp from SPN T , leading to specific intratumoral immunotherapeutic activation. Released M-Trp inhibits indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity, and thus decreases regulatory T cells (Tregs) formation and drives cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) infiltration. SPN T -mediated combination photodynamic immunotherapy thus reprograms the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), resulting in efficient suppression of both primary and distant tumors, and inhibition of lung metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha He
- Nanyang Technological University, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, SINGAPORE
| | - Jing Liu
- South China University of Technology, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, CHINA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Nanyang Technological University, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, SINGAPORE
| | - Jun Wang
- South China University of Technology, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, CHINA
| | - Kanyi Pu
- Nanyang Technological University, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engieering, 70 Nanyang Drive, 637457, Singapore, SINGAPORE
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19
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He S, Liu J, Zhang C, Wang J, Pu K. Semiconducting Polymer Nano‐regulators with Cascading Activation for Photodynamic Cancer Immunotherapy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202116669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shasha He
- Nanyang Technological University School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering SINGAPORE
| | - Jing Liu
- South China University of Technology School of Bioscience and Bioengineering CHINA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Nanyang Technological University School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering SINGAPORE
| | - Jun Wang
- South China University of Technology School of Bioscience and Bioengineering CHINA
| | - Kanyi Pu
- Nanyang Technological University School of Chemical and Biomedical Engieering 70 Nanyang Drive 637457 Singapore SINGAPORE
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20
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IL-10 Signaling Elicited by Nivolumab-Induced Activation of the MAP Kinase Pathway Does Not Fully Contribute to Nivolumab-Modulated Heterogeneous T Cell Responses. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111848. [PMID: 34769278 PMCID: PMC8584131 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has revolutionized anti-cancer treatment for many late-stage cancer patients. However, ICI therapy has thus far demonstrated limited efficacy for most patients, and it remains unclear why this is so. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is a cytokine that has been recognized as a central player in cancer biology with its ability to inhibit anti-tumor T cell responses. Recent studies suggest that IL-10 might also exert some intrinsic anti-tumor T cell responses, and clinical studies using recombinant IL-10 alone or in combination with ICI are underway. This paradoxical effect of IL-10 and its underlying mechanisms impacting ICI-modulated T cell responses remain poorly understood. In this study, using an in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction assay, we found that treatment with ICIs such as the anti-programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) mAb nivolumab elicits a strong expression of IL-10. While neutralization of IL-10 signaling with an anti-IL-10 specific mAb significantly decreases the production of IFN-γ by T cells in a cohort of donor cells, the opposite effect was observed in other donor cells. Similarly, neutralization of IL-10 signaling significantly decreases the expression of T cell activation markers Ki67 and CD25, as well as the production of Granzyme B in a cohort of donor cells, whereas the opposite effect was observed in others. Furthermore, we found that nivolumab and IL-10 differentially modulate the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and AKT serine–threonine kinase pathways. Finally, we found that nivolumab activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which in turn is responsible for the observed induction of IL-10 production by nivolumab. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying anti-PD-1-modulated T cell responses by IL-10, which could lead to the discovery of novel combination treatments that target IL-10 and immune checkpoint molecules.
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21
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Brennan S, Baird AM, O’Regan E, Sheils O. The Role of Human Papilloma Virus in Dictating Outcomes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:677900. [PMID: 34250016 PMCID: PMC8262095 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.677900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is an oncogenic virus which is associated with the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), predominantly within the oropharynx. Approximately 25% of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) cases worldwide are attributable to HPV infection, with an estimated 65% in the United States. Transmission is via exposure during sexual contact, with distinctive anatomical features of the tonsils providing this organ with a predilection for infection by HPV. No premalignant lesion is identifiable on clinical examination, thus no comparative histological features to denote the stages of carcinogenesis for HPV driven HNSCC are identifiable. This is in contrast to HPV-driven cervical carcinoma, making screening a challenge for the head and neck region. However, HPV proffers a favorable prognosis in the head and neck region, with better overall survival rates in contrast to its HPV negative counterparts. This has resulted in extensive research into de-intensifying therapies aiming to minimize the morbidity induced by standard concurrent chemo-radiotherapy without compromising efficacy. Despite the favorable prognosis, cases of recurrence and/or metastasis of HPV positive HNSCC do occur, and are linked with poor outcomes. HPV 16 is the most frequent genotype identified in HNSCC, yet there is limited research to date studying the impact of other HPV genotype with respect to overall survival. A similar situation pertains to genetic aberrations associated in those with HPV positive HNSCC who recur, with only four published studies to date. Somatic mutations in TSC2, BRIP1, NBN, TACC3, NFE2l2, STK11, HRAS, PIK3R1, TP63, and FAT1 have been identified in recurrent HPV positive OPSCC. Finding alternative therapeutic strategies for this young cohort may depend on upfront identification of HPV genotypes and mutations which are linked with worse outcomes, thus ensuring appropriate stratification of treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Brennan
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anne-Marie Baird
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Esther O’Regan
- Department of Histopathology, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Orla Sheils
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
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22
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Sharma P, Siddiqui BA, Anandhan S, Yadav SS, Subudhi SK, Gao J, Goswami S, Allison JP. The Next Decade of Immune Checkpoint Therapy. Cancer Discov 2021; 11:838-857. [DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-1680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Esposito M, Ganesan S, Kang Y. Emerging strategies for treating metastasis. NATURE CANCER 2021; 2:258-270. [PMID: 33899000 PMCID: PMC8064405 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-021-00181-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The systemic spread of tumor cells is the ultimate cause of the majority of deaths from cancer, yet few successful therapeutic strategies have emerged to specifically target metastasis. Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of tumor-intrinsic pathways driving metastatic colonization and therapeutic resistance, as well as immune activating strategies to target metastatic disease. We focus on therapeutically exploitable mechanisms, promising strategies in preclinical and clinical development, and emerging areas with potential to become innovative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Esposito
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Shridar Ganesan
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Center for Systems and Computational Biology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yibin Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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24
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Shukla A, Cloutier M, Appiya Santharam M, Ramanathan S, Ilangumaran S. The MHC Class-I Transactivator NLRC5: Implications to Cancer Immunology and Potential Applications to Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041964. [PMID: 33671123 PMCID: PMC7922096 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system constantly monitors the emergence of cancerous cells and eliminates them. CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which kill tumor cells and provide antitumor immunity, select their targets by recognizing tumor antigenic peptides presented by MHC class-I (MHC-I) molecules. Cancer cells circumvent immune surveillance using diverse strategies. A key mechanism of cancer immune evasion is downregulation of MHC-I and key proteins of the antigen processing and presentation machinery (APM). Even though impaired MHC-I expression in cancers is well-known, reversing the MHC-I defects remains the least advanced area of tumor immunology. The discoveries that NLRC5 is the key transcriptional activator of MHC-I and APM genes, and genetic lesions and epigenetic modifications of NLRC5 are the most common cause of MHC-I defects in cancers, have raised the hopes for restoring MHC-I expression. Here, we provide an overview of cancer immunity mediated by CD8+ T cells and the functions of NLRC5 in MHC-I antigen presentation pathways. We describe the impressive advances made in understanding the regulation of NLRC5 expression, the data supporting the antitumor functions of NLRC5 and a few reports that argue for a pro-tumorigenic role. Finally, we explore the possible avenues of exploiting NLRC5 for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhil Shukla
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (A.S.); (M.C.); (M.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Maryse Cloutier
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (A.S.); (M.C.); (M.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Madanraj Appiya Santharam
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (A.S.); (M.C.); (M.A.S.); (S.R.)
| | - Sheela Ramanathan
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (A.S.); (M.C.); (M.A.S.); (S.R.)
- CRCHUS, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H5N4, Canada
| | - Subburaj Ilangumaran
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada; (A.S.); (M.C.); (M.A.S.); (S.R.)
- CRCHUS, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H5N4, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-819-346-1110 (ext. 14834)
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25
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Yang C, Xia BR, Zhang ZC, Zhang YJ, Lou G, Jin WL. Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: Adjuvant, Combination, and Neoadjuvant. Front Immunol 2020; 11:577869. [PMID: 33123161 PMCID: PMC7572849 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.577869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Surgery and chemotherapy are the primary treatments for ovarian cancer; however, patients often succumb to recurrence with chemotherapeutic resistance within several years after the initial treatment. In the past two decades, immunotherapy has rapidly developed, and has revolutionized the treatment of various types of cancer. Despite the fact that immunotherapy response rates among ovarian cancer patients remain modest, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)- and TCR-engineered T cells is rapidly developing. Therapeutic efficiency could be improved significantly if immunotherapy is included as an adjuvant therapy, in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and the use of anti-angiogenesis drugs, and poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). Newly developed technologies that identify therapeutic targets, predict treatment efficacy, rapidly screen potential immunotherapy drugs, provide neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and utilize nanomedicine technology provide new opportunities for the treatment of ovarian cancer, and have the potential to prolong patient survival. However, important issues that may hinder the efficacy of such approaches, including hyperprogressive disease (HPD), immunotherapy-resistance, and toxicity of the treatments, including neurotoxicity, must be taken into account and addressed for these therapies to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Yang
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Bai-Rong Xia
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhao-Cong Zhang
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yong-Jian Zhang
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Ge Lou
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Electronic Information and Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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26
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Swami U, Nussenzveig RH, Agarwal N. Quest for Ideal Composite Biomarkers for Response to Immunotherapies. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:5059-5061. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-2321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In the CheckMate 275 study, composite biomarkers appear to better predict response to immunotherapy over individual ones. Nevertheless, the path forward needs consensus guidelines for biomarker interpretation. Thereafter, prospective validation with real-time, serial biospecimen collection along with the development of composite biomarker models leads to the goal of personalized therapy.
See related article by Galsky et al., p. 5120
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Affiliation(s)
- Umang Swami
- Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Roberto H. Nussenzveig
- Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Neeraj Agarwal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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