1
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McAndrews KM, Mahadevan KK, Kalluri R. Mouse Models to Evaluate the Functional Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression and Therapy Responses. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041411. [PMID: 38191175 PMCID: PMC11216184 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex ecosystem of both cellular and noncellular components that functions to impact the evolution of cancer. Various aspects of the TME have been targeted for the control of cancer; however, TME composition is dynamic, with the overall abundance of immune cells, endothelial cells (ECs), fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as subsets of TME components changing at different stages of progression and in response to therapy. To effectively treat cancer, an understanding of the functional role of the TME is needed. Genetically engineered mouse models have enabled comprehensive insight into the complex interactions within the TME ecosystem that regulate disease progression. Here, we review recent advances in mouse models that have been employed to understand how the TME regulates cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M McAndrews
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
| | - Krishnan K Mahadevan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
| | - Raghu Kalluri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77054, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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2
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Yang K, Yi T. Tumor cell stemness in gastrointestinal cancer: regulation and targeted therapy. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1297611. [PMID: 38455361 PMCID: PMC10918437 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1297611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cancer stem cells are a rare group of self-renewable cancer cells capable of the initiation, progression, metastasis and recurrence of tumors, and also a key contributor to the therapeutic resistance. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanism of tumor stemness regulation, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, is of great importance for targeting CSC and designing novel therapeutic strategies. This review aims to elucidate current advancements in the understanding of CSC regulation, including CSC biomarkers, signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs. We will also provide a comprehensive view on how the tumor microenvironment (TME) display an overall tumor-promoting effect, including the recruitment and impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the establishment of an immunosuppressive milieu, and the induction of angiogenesis and hypoxia. Lastly, this review consolidates mainstream novel therapeutic interventions targeting CSC stemness regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangqi Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tuo Yi
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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3
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Joseph AM, Al Aiyan A, Al-Ramadi B, Singh SK, Kishore U. Innate and adaptive immune-directed tumour microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1323198. [PMID: 38384463 PMCID: PMC10879611 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1323198] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the most deadly and aggressive cancers in the world, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), typically manifests at an advanced stage. PDAC is becoming more common, and by the year 2030, it is expected to overtake lung cancer as the second greatest cause of cancer-related death. The poor prognosis can be attributed to a number of factors, including difficulties in early identification, a poor probability of curative radical resection, limited response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and its immunotherapy resistance. Furthermore, an extensive desmoplastic stroma that surrounds PDAC forms a mechanical barrier that prevents vascularization and promotes poor immune cell penetration. Phenotypic heterogeneity, drug resistance, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment are the main causes of PDAC aggressiveness. There is a complex and dynamic interaction between tumor cells in PDAC with stromal cells within the tumour immune microenvironment. The immune suppressive microenvironment that promotes PDAC aggressiveness is contributed by a range of cellular and humoral factors, which itself are modulated by the cancer. In this review, we describe the role of innate and adaptive immune cells, complex tumor microenvironment in PDAC, humoral factors, innate immune-mediated therapeutic advances, and recent clinical trials in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Mary Joseph
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ahmad Al Aiyan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Basel Al-Ramadi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shiv K. Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, University Medical Center, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Uday Kishore
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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4
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Yuan H, Chen C, Li H, Qu G, Chen L, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Zhao Q, Lian C, Ji A, Hou X, Liu X, Jiang K, Zhu Y, He Y. Role of a novel circRNA-CGNL1 in regulating pancreatic cancer progression via NUDT4-HDAC4-RUNX2-GAMT-mediated apoptosis. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:27. [PMID: 38297362 PMCID: PMC10829403 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01923-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an extremely malignant tumor with low survival rate. Effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PC are lacking. The roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancers have been explored in various studies, however more work is needed to understand the functional roles of specific circRNAs. In this study, we explore the specific role and mechanism of circ_0035435 (termed circCGNL1) in PC. METHODS qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect circCGNL1 expression, indicating circCGNL1 had low expression in PC cells and tissues. The function of circCGNL1 in PC progression was examined both in vitro and in vivo. circCGNL1-interacting proteins were identified by performing RNA pulldown, co-immunoprecipitation, GST-pulldown, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS Overexpressing circCGNL1 inhibited PC proliferation via promoting apoptosis. CircCGNL1 interacted with phosphatase nudix hydrolase 4 (NUDT4) to promote histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) dephosphorylation and subsequent HDAC4 nuclear translocation. Intranuclear HDAC4 mediated RUNX Family Transcription Factor 2 (RUNX2) deacetylation and thereby accelerating RUNX2 degradation. The transcription factor, RUNX2, inhibited guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) expression. GAMT was further verified to induce PC cell apoptosis via AMPK-AKT-Bad signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS We discovered that circCGNL1 can interact with NUDT4 to enhance NUDT4-dependent HDAC4 dephosphorylation, subsequently activating HDAC4-RUNX2-GAMT-mediated apoptosis to suppress PC cell growth. These findings suggest new therapeutic targets for PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yuan
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreas Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, P. R. China
- Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuang Chen
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai'an, China
| | - Haonan Li
- Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Gexi Qu
- Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Luyao Chen
- Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Yaxing Liu
- Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreas Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Heping Hospital, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Changhong Lian
- Heping Hospital, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Aifang Ji
- Heping Hospital, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | | | - Xinjian Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kuirong Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreas Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, P. R. China.
- Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yi Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreas Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, P. R. China.
- Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yuan He
- Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China.
- Heping Hospital, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China.
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5
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Just U, Burtscher H, Jeratsch S, Fischer M, Stocking C, Preussner J, Looso M, Schwanbeck R, Günther S, Huss R, Mullen L, Braun T. Proteomic and transcriptomic characterisation of FIA10, a novel murine leukemic cell line that metastasizes into the brain. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295641. [PMID: 38215076 PMCID: PMC10786371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain metastasis leads to increased mortality and is a major site of relapse for several cancers, yet the molecular mechanisms of brain metastasis are not well understood. In this study, we established and characterized a new leukemic cell line, FIA10, that metastasizes into the central nervous system (CNS) following injection into the tail vein of syngeneic mice. Mice injected with FIA10 cells developed neurological symptoms such as loss of balance, tremor, ataxic gait and seizures, leading to death within 3 months. Histopathology coupled with PCR analysis clearly showed infiltration of leukemic FIA10 cells into the brain parenchyma of diseased mice, with little involvement of bone marrow, peripheral blood and other organs. To define pathways that contribute to CNS metastasis, global transcriptome and proteome analysis was performed on FIA10 cells and compared with that of the parental stem cell line FDCP-Mix and the related FIA18 cells, which give rise to myeloid leukemia without CNS involvement. 188 expressed genes (RNA level) and 189 proteins were upregulated (log2 ratio FIA10/FIA18 ≥ 1) and 120 mRNAs and 177 proteins were downregulated (log2 ratio FIA10/FIA18 ≤ 1) in FIA10 cells compared with FIA18 cells. Major upregulated pathways in FIA10 cells revealed by biofunctional analyses involved immune response components, adhesion molecules and enzymes implicated in extracellular matrix remodeling, opening and crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), molecules supporting migration within the brain parenchyma, alterations in metabolism necessary for growth within the brain microenvironment, and regulators for these functions. Downregulated RNA and protein included several tumor suppressors and DNA repair enzymes. In line with the function of FIA10 cells to specifically infiltrate the brain, FIA10 cells have acquired a phenotype that permits crossing the BBB and adapting to the brain microenvironment thereby escaping immune surveillance. These data and our model system FIA10 will be valuable resources to study the occurrence of brain metastases and may help in the development of potential therapies against brain invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Just
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Helmut Burtscher
- Pharma Research Penzberg, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Sylvia Jeratsch
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | | | | | - Jens Preussner
- Bioinformatics Core Unit, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Mario Looso
- Bioinformatics Core Unit, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Ralf Schwanbeck
- Department of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Ralf Huss
- Pharma Research Penzberg, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Lynne Mullen
- QIAGEN, Redwood City, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas Braun
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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6
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Tumoglu B, Keelaghan A, Avci FY. Tn antigen interactions of macrophage galactose-type lectin (MGL) in immune function and disease. Glycobiology 2023; 33:879-887. [PMID: 37847609 PMCID: PMC10859631 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-carbohydrate interactions are essential in maintaining immune homeostasis and orchestrating inflammatory and regulatory immune processes. This review elucidates the immune interactions of macrophage galactose-type lectin (MGL, CD301) and Tn carbohydrate antigen. MGL is a C-type lectin receptor (CLR) primarily expressed by myeloid cells such as macrophages and immature dendritic cells. MGL recognizes terminal O-linked N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) residue on the surface proteins, also known as Tn antigen (Tn). Tn is a truncated form of the elongated cell surface O-glycan. The hypoglycosylation leading to Tn may occur when the enzyme responsible for O-glycan elongation-T-synthase-or its associated chaperone-Cosmc-becomes functionally inhibited. As reviewed here, Tn expression is observed in many different neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases, and the recognition of Tn by MGL plays an important role in regulating effector T cells, immune suppression, and the recognition of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berna Tumoglu
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Aidan Keelaghan
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Fikri Y Avci
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
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7
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Régnier P, Vetillard M, Bansard A, Pierre E, Li X, Cagnard N, Gautier EL, Guermonprez P, Manoury B, Podsypanina K, Darrasse-Jèze G. FLT3L-dependent dendritic cells control tumor immunity by modulating Treg and NK cell homeostasis. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101256. [PMID: 38118422 PMCID: PMC10772324 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
FLT3-L-dependent classical dendritic cells (cDCs) recruit anti-tumor and tumor-protecting lymphocytes. We evaluate cancer growth in mice with low, normal, or high levels of cDCs. Paradoxically, both low or high numbers of cDCs improve survival in mice with melanoma. In low cDC context, tumors are restrained by the adaptive immune system through influx of effector T cells and depletion of Tregs and NK cells. High cDC numbers favor the innate anti-tumor response, with massive recruitment of activated NK cells, despite high Treg infiltration. Anti CTLA-4 but not anti PD-1 therapy synergizes with FLT3-L therapy in the cDCHi but not in the cDCLo context. A combination of cDC boost and Treg depletion dramatically improves survival of tumor-bearing mice. Transcriptomic data confirm the paradoxical effect of cDC levels on survival in several human tumor types. cDCHi-TregLo state in such patients predicts best survival. Modulating cDC numbers via FLT3 signaling may have therapeutic potential in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Régnier
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMR-8253, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMR_S959, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy, Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, DMU3ID, Paris, France
| | - Mathias Vetillard
- Université de Paris Cité, Centre for Inflammation Research, INSERM U1149, CNRS ERL8252, Paris, France; Dendritic Cells and Adaptive Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Adèle Bansard
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMR-8253, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Paris, France
| | | | - Xinyue Li
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMR_S959, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Cagnard
- Structure Fédérative de Recherche Necker, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel L Gautier
- Inserm, UMR_S1166, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Guermonprez
- Université de Paris Cité, Centre for Inflammation Research, INSERM U1149, CNRS ERL8252, Paris, France; Dendritic Cells and Adaptive Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Manoury
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMR-8253, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Katrina Podsypanina
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMR-8253, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UMR3664, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Darrasse-Jèze
- Institut Necker Enfants Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMR-8253, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMR_S959, Immunology-Immunopathology-Immunotherapy, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Paris, France.
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8
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Marzban H, Pedram N, Amini P, Gholampour Y, Saranjam N, Moradi S, Rahvarian J. Immunobiology of cancer stem cells and their immunoevasion mechanisms. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:9559-9573. [PMID: 37776412 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08768-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) defined as a small fraction of cells within malignancies have been isolated from tumors with different histological origins with stem related characteristics such as self-replicating potential, tumorigenesis, and therapy resistance. The dynamic communication between CSCs and tumor microenvironment particularly immune cells orchestrates their fate and plasticity as well as the patient outcome. According to recent evidence, it has been reported that they harness different immunological pathways to escape immunosurveillance and express aberrantly immunomodulatory agents or decreased levels of factors forming antigen presenting machinery (APM), subsequently followed by impaired antigen presentation and suppressed immune detection. As effective therapies are expected to be able to eradicate CSCs, mechanistic understanding of such interactions can provide insights into causes of therapy failure particularly in immunotherapy. Also, it can contribute to enhance the practical interventions against CSCs and their immunomodulatory features resulting in CSCs eradication and improving patient clinical outcome. The aim of this review is to explain the present knowledge regarding the immunobiology of CSCs and the immunoevasion mechanisms they use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Havva Marzban
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, US.
| | - Nastaran Pedram
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Parnian Amini
- Department of Veterinary Laboratory Science, Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Rasht, Iran
| | - Yasaman Gholampour
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | | | - Samira Moradi
- Faculty of Medical Science, Department of Medicine, Hormozgan University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Jeiran Rahvarian
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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9
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Peng JM, Su YL. Lymph node metastasis and tumor-educated immune tolerance: Potential therapeutic targets against distant metastasis. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 215:115731. [PMID: 37541450 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Lymph node metastasis has been shown to positively associated with the prognosis of many cancers. However, in clinical treatment, lymphadenectomy is not always successful, suggesting that immune cells in the tumor and sentinel lymph nodes still play a pivotal role in tumor immunosuppression. Recent studies had shown that tumors can tolerate immune cells through multiple strategies, including tumor-induced macrophage reprogramming, T cells inactivation, production of B cells pathogenic antibodies and activation of regulatory T cells to promote tumor colonization, growth, and metastasis in lymph nodes. We reviewed the bidirectional effect of immune cells on anti-tumor or promotion of cancer cell metastasis during lymph node metastasis, and the mechanisms by which malignant cancer cells modify immune cells to create a more favorable environment for the growth and survival of cancer cells. Research and treatment strategies focusing on the immune system in lymph nodes and potential immune targets in lymph node metastasis were also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jei-Ming Peng
- Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dapi Rd., Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan.
| | - Yu-Li Su
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, No. 123, Dapi Rd., Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan.
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10
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Zhuang J, Qu Z, Chu J, Wang J, Wu Y, Fan Z, Song Y, Han S, Ru L, Zhao H. Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals T population heterogeneity and functions in tumor microenvironment of colorectal cancer metastases. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17119. [PMID: 37539320 PMCID: PMC10394913 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell mediated immune escape, a microenvironment factor, induces tumorigenesis and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to display the characteristics of T cell populations in immune microenvironments for colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis. Unsupervised cluster analysis was conducted to identify functionally distinct T cell clusters from 3,003 cells in peripheral blood and 4,656 cells in tissues. Subsequently, a total of 8 and 4 distinct T cell population clusters were identified from tumor tissue and peripheral blood, respectively. High levels of CD8+TEX, CD4+TRM, TH1-like T cells, CD8+TEM, tumor-Treg from tissues, and CD4+TN from peripheral blood are essential components of immune microenvironment for the prediction of CRC metastasis. Moreover, exhausted T cells are characterized by higher expression of multiple inhibitory receptors, including PDCD1 and LAG3. Some genes such as PFKFB3, GNLY, circDCUN1D4, TXNIP and NR4A2 in T cells of cluster were statistically different between CRC metastasis and non-metastasis. The ligand-receptor interactions identified between different cluster cells and metastases-related DEGs identified from each cluster revealed that the communications of cells, alterations of functions, and numbers of T subsets may contribute to the metastasis of CRC. The mutation frequency of KiAA1551, ATP8B4 and LNPEP in T cells from tissues and SOR1 from peripheral blood were higher in metastatic CRC than that in non-metastatic CRC. In conclusion, the discovery of differential genes in T cells may provide potential targets for immunotherapy of CRC metastasis and relevant insights into the clinical prediction and prognosis of CRC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhuang
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
| | - Zhanbo Qu
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
| | - Jian Chu
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
| | - Yinhang Wu
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
| | - Zhiqing Fan
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
| | - Yifei Song
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
| | - Shuwen Han
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
| | - Lixin Ru
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, China
- Fifth Affiliated Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Huzhou Central Hospital, China
- Key Laboratory of Multiomics Research and Clinical Transformation of Digestive Cancer of Huzhou, China
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11
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Tadepalli S, Clements DR, Saravanan S, Hornero RA, Lüdtke A, Blackmore B, Paulo JA, Gottfried-Blackmore A, Seong D, Park S, Chan L, Kopecky BJ, Liu Z, Ginhoux F, Lavine KJ, Murphy JP, Mack M, Graves EE, Idoyaga J. Rapid recruitment and IFN-I-mediated activation of monocytes dictate focal radiotherapy efficacy. Sci Immunol 2023; 8:eadd7446. [PMID: 37294749 PMCID: PMC10340791 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add7446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The recruitment of monocytes and their differentiation into immunosuppressive cells is associated with the low efficacy of preclinical nonconformal radiotherapy (RT) for tumors. However, nonconformal RT (non-CRT) does not mimic clinical practice, and little is known about the role of monocytes after RT modes used in patients, such as conformal RT (CRT). Here, we investigated the acute immune response induced by after CRT. Contrary to non-CRT approaches, we found that CRT induces a rapid and robust recruitment of monocytes to the tumor that minimally differentiate into tumor-associated macrophages or dendritic cells but instead up-regulate major histocompatibility complex II and costimulatory molecules. We found that these large numbers of infiltrating monocytes are responsible for activating effector polyfunctional CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes that reduce tumor burden. Mechanistically, we show that monocyte-derived type I interferon is pivotal in promoting monocyte accumulation and immunostimulatory function in a positive feedback loop. We also demonstrate that monocyte accumulation in the tumor microenvironment is hindered when RT inadvertently affects healthy tissues, as occurs in non-CRT. Our results unravel the immunostimulatory function of monocytes during clinically relevant modes of RT and demonstrate that limiting the exposure of healthy tissues to radiation has a positive therapeutic effect on the overall antitumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirimuvva Tadepalli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Derek R. Clements
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Sanjana Saravanan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Rebeca Arroyo Hornero
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Anja Lüdtke
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Beau Blackmore
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - Joao A. Paulo
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andres Gottfried-Blackmore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, CA 94063, USA
| | - David Seong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
| | - Soyoon Park
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Leslie Chan
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Kopecky
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Departmental of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zhaoyuan Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Florent Ginhoux
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Institut Gustave Roussy, INSERM U1015, Bâtiment de Médecine Moléculaire, Villejuif 94800, France
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Republic of Singapore
| | - Kory J. Lavine
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Departmental of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - John Patrick Murphy
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - Matthias Mack
- Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Edward E. Graves
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
| | - Juliana Idoyaga
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5101, USA
- Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
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12
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Stellas D, Karaliota S, Stravokefalou V, Angel M, Nagy BA, Goldfarbmuren KC, Bergamaschi C, Felber BK, Pavlakis GN. Tumor eradication by hetIL-15 locoregional therapy correlates with an induced intratumoral CD103 intCD11b + dendritic cell population. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112501. [PMID: 37178117 PMCID: PMC10758290 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Locoregional monotherapy with heterodimeric interleukin (IL)-15 (hetIL-15) in a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) orthotopic mouse model resulted in tumor eradication in 40% of treated mice, reduction of metastasis, and induction of immunological memory against breast cancer cells. hetIL-15 re-shaped the tumor microenvironment by promoting the intratumoral accumulation of cytotoxic lymphocytes, conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s), and a dendritic cell (DC) population expressing both CD103 and CD11b markers. These CD103intCD11b+DCs share phenotypic and gene expression characteristics with both cDC1s and cDC2s, have transcriptomic profiles more similar to monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs), and correlate with tumor regression. Therefore, hetIL-15, a cytokine directly affecting lymphocytes and inducing cytotoxic cells, also has an indirect rapid and significant effect on the recruitment of myeloid cells, initiating a cascade for tumor elimination through innate and adoptive immune mechanisms. The intratumoral CD103intCD11b+DC population induced by hetIL-15 may be targeted for the development of additional cancer immunotherapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Stellas
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece.
| | - Sevasti Karaliota
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Vasiliki Stravokefalou
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Matthew Angel
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Bethany A Nagy
- Laboratory Animal Sciences Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Katherine C Goldfarbmuren
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Cristina Bergamaschi
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Barbara K Felber
- Human Retrovirus Pathogenesis Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - George N Pavlakis
- Human Retrovirus Section, Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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13
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Li Y, Xiang S, Pan W, Wang J, Zhan H, Liu S. Targeting tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy: Current research and future perspective. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1166860. [PMID: 37064113 PMCID: PMC10090519 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1166860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumors with increased incidence rate. The effect of surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy on survival of patients is unsatisfactory. New treatment strategy such as immunotherapy need to be investigated. The accumulation of desmoplastic stroma, infiltration of immunosuppressive cells including myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs), as well as tumor associated cytokine such as TGF-β, IL-10, IL-35, CCL5 and CXCL12 construct an immunosuppressive microenvironment of pancreatic cancer, which presents challenges for immunotherapy. In this review article, we explore the roles and mechanism of immunosuppressive cells and lymphocytes in establishing an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. In addition, immunotherapy strategies for pancreatic cancer based on tumor microenvironment including immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeting extracellular matrix (ECM), interfering with stromal cells or cytokines in TME, cancer vaccines and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are also discussed. It is necessary to identify an approach of immunotherapy in combination with other modalities to produce a synergistic effect with increased response rates in pancreatic cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shuai Xiang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wenjun Pan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Operating Room, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hanxiang Zhan
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence: Shanglong Liu, ; Hanxiang Zhan,
| | - Shanglong Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Shanglong Liu, ; Hanxiang Zhan,
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14
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Du L, Ji Y, Xin B, Zhang J, Lu LC, Glass CK, Feng GS. Shp2 Deficiency in Kupffer Cells and Hepatocytes Aggravates Hepatocarcinogenesis by Recruiting Non-Kupffer Macrophages. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 15:1351-1369. [PMID: 36828281 PMCID: PMC10140795 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Complex communications between hepatocytes and Kupffer cells (KCs) are known to drive or suppress hepatocarcinogenesis, with controversial data in the literature. In previous experiments that aimed to decipher hepatocyte/KC interactions, we unexpectedly unveiled a tumor-suppressing effect of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, a widely used inducer of MX dynamin like GTPase 1 (Mx1)-cre expression, which questioned a theory of interleukin 1a/6 cytokine circuit in hepatocyte/KC communication. The goal of this study was to clarify the controversy and decipher unique functions of KCs and non-KC macrophages in liver tumorigenesis. METHODS We used the C-type lectin domain family 4 member F (Clec4f)-cre system to delete Src-homology 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 (Shp2)/protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor 11 (Ptpn11) in KCs, and a combination of Clec4f-cre and adeno-associated virus-cre to delete Shp2 in KCs and hepatocytes to investigate the effects on hepatocellular carcinoma development and immune cell compositions/activities. RESULTS Ablating Shp2 in KCs generated a tumor-promoting niche, which was exacerbated further by concurrent removal of Shp2 in both KCs and hepatocytes. Shp2 deficiency induced KC apoptosis and decreased its numbers, which induced compensatory recruitment of bone marrow-derived monocytes into liver. These newly recruited monocytes differentiated into non-KC macrophages with tumor-associated macrophage function, leading to aggravated tumor progression through down-regulation of CD8 T cells. Tumor-associated macrophage blockade by anti-chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) antibody inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma progression, while depletion of all macrophages had a tumor-promoting effect by increasing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) and decreasing CD8 T cells. CONCLUSIONS Shp2 loss in KCs or hepatocytes generated a protumorigenic microenvironment, which was exacerbated by its removal in both cell types. These results show the complexity of intercellular signaling events in liver tumorigenesis and raises caution on the use of specific Shp2 inhibitor in liver cancer therapy. Transcript profiling: RNA sequencing data are available at Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE222594).
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Du
- Department of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California; Department of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yichun Ji
- Department of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Bing Xin
- Department of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Jiemeng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Li-Chun Lu
- Department of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California; Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Christopher K Glass
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Gen-Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, Department of Molecular Biology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
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15
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Christenson JL, Williams MM, Richer JK. The underappreciated role of resident epithelial cell populations in metastatic progression: contributions of the lung alveolar epithelium. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C1777-C1790. [PMID: 36252127 PMCID: PMC9744653 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00181.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Metastatic cancer is difficult to treat and is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths. After cancer cells initiate metastasis and successfully seed a distant site, resident cells in the tissue play a key role in determining how metastatic progression develops. The lung is the second most frequent site of metastatic spread, and the primary site of metastasis within the lung is alveoli. The most abundant cell type in the alveolar niche is the epithelium. This review will examine the potential contributions of the alveolar epithelium to metastatic progression. It will also provide insight into other ways in which alveolar epithelial cells, acting as immune sentinels within the lung, may influence metastatic progression through their various interactions with cells in the surrounding microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Christenson
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Michelle M Williams
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jennifer K Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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16
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Zhou Q, Chen D, Zhang J, Xiang J, Zhang T, Wang H, Zhang Y. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma holds unique features to form an immunosuppressive microenvironment: a narrative review. JOURNAL OF PANCREATOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1097/jp9.0000000000000109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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17
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Chen X, Li J, Chen Y, Que Z, Du J, Zhang J. B7 Family Members in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Attractive Targets for Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315005. [PMID: 36499340 PMCID: PMC9740860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315005] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 5-10%. The immune checkpoint blockade represented by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors has been effective in a variety of solid tumors but has had little clinical response in pancreatic cancer patients. The unique suppressive immune microenvironment is the primary reason for this outcome, and it is essential to identify key targets to remodel the immune microenvironment. Some B7 family immune checkpoints, particularly PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, VISTA and HHLA2, have been identified as playing a significant role in the control of tumor immune responses. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the recent research progress of some members of the B7 family in pancreatic cancer, which revealed that they can be involved in tumor progression through immune-dependent and non-immune-dependent pathways, highlighting the mechanisms of their involvement in tumor immune escape and assessing the prospects of their clinical application. Targeting B7 family immune checkpoints is expected to result in novel immunotherapeutic treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ziting Que
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jiawei Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jianqiong Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Function Imaging, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-83272314
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18
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Hashimoto A, Handa H, Hata S, Hashimoto S. Orchestration of mesenchymal plasticity and immune evasiveness via rewiring of the metabolic program in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1005566. [PMID: 36408139 PMCID: PMC9669439 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1005566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most fatal cancer in humans, due to its difficulty of early detection and its high metastatic ability. The occurrence of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in preinvasive pancreatic lesions has been implicated in the early dissemination, drug resistance, and cancer stemness of PDAC. PDAC cells also have a reprogrammed metabolism, regulated by driver mutation-mediated pathways, a desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (TME), and interactions with stromal cells, including pancreatic stellate cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells. Such metabolic reprogramming and its functional metabolites lead to enhanced mesenchymal plasticity, and creates an acidic and immunosuppressive TME, resulting in the augmentation of protumor immunity via cancer-associated inflammation. In this review, we summarize our recent understanding of how PDAC cells acquire and augment mesenchymal features via metabolic and immunological changes during tumor progression, and how mesenchymal malignancies induce metabolic network rewiring and facilitate an immune evasive TME. In addition, we also present our recent findings on the interesting relevance of the small G protein ADP-ribosylation factor 6-based signaling pathway driven by KRAS/TP53 mutations, inflammatory amplification signals mediated by the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 and RNA-binding protein ARID5A on PDAC metabolic reprogramming and immune evasion, and finally discuss potential therapeutic strategies for the quasi-mesenchymal subtype of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ari Hashimoto
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ari Hashimoto, ; Shigeru Hashimoto,
| | - Haruka Handa
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Soichiro Hata
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shigeru Hashimoto
- Division of Molecular Psychoimmunology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ari Hashimoto, ; Shigeru Hashimoto,
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19
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Davidson C, Taggart D, Sims AH, Lonergan DW, Canel M, Serrels A. FAK promotes stromal PD-L2 expression associated with poor survival in pancreatic cancer. Br J Cancer 2022; 127:1893-1905. [PMID: 36138073 PMCID: PMC9643373 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01966-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic Cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, with less than 8% of patients surviving 5 years following diagnosis. The last 40 years have seen only small incremental improvements in treatment options, highlighting the continued need to better define the cellular and molecular pathways contributing to therapy response and patient prognosis. METHODS We combined CRISPR, shRNA and flow cytometry with mechanistic experiments using a KrasG12Dp53R172H mouse model of pancreatic cancer and analysis of publicly available human PDAC transcriptomic datasets. RESULTS Here, we identify that expression of the immune checkpoint, Programmed Death Ligand 2 (PD-L2), is associated with poor prognosis, tumour grade, clinical stage and molecular subtype in patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We further show that PD-L2 is predominantly expressed in the stroma and, using an orthotopic murine model of PDAC, identify cancer cell-intrinsic Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) signalling as a regulator of PD-L2 stromal expression. Mechanistically, we find that FAK regulates interleukin-6, which can act in concert with interleukin-4 secreted by CD4 T-cells to drive elevated expression of PD-L2 on tumour-associated macrophages, dendritic cells and endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS These findings identify further complex heterocellular signalling networks contributing to FAK-mediated immune suppression in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Davidson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Cancer Research, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Hospital for Small Animals, The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - David Taggart
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew H Sims
- Edinburgh Cancer Research, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David W Lonergan
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Cancer Research, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marta Canel
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Cancer Research, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alan Serrels
- Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Edinburgh Cancer Research, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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20
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The distinct roles of exosomes in innate immune responses and therapeutic applications in cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 933:175292. [PMID: 36150532 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The innate immune system is one of the major constituents of the host's defense against invading pathogens and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in regulating its responses. Exosomes, a subclass of EVs, released from eukaryotic cells, contribute to intracellular communication and drive various biological processes by transferring nuclei acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates between cells, protecting cargo from enzymatic degradation and immune recognition and consequent elimination by the immune system. A growing body of evidence has revealed that exosomes produced from host cells, infected cells, tumor cells, and immune cells regulate innate immune signaling and responses and thus play a significant role in the propagation of pathogens. Immune cells can recognize exosomes-bearing components including DNA strands, viral RNAs, and even proteins by various mechanisms such as through Toll-like receptor/NF-κB signaling, inducing cytokine production and reprogramming the innate immune responses, immunosuppression or immunesupportive. There is persuasive preclinical and clinical evidence that exosomes are therapeutic strategies for immunotherapy, cancer vaccine, drug-delivery system, and diagnostic biomarker. However, further scrutiny is essential to validate these findings. In this review, we describe the current facts on the regulation of innate immune responses by exosomes. We also describe the translational application of exosomes as cancer-therapy agents and immunotherapy.
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21
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Xin B, Yang M, Wu P, Du L, Deng X, Hui E, Feng GS. Enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of programmed death ligand 1 antibody for metastasized liver cancer by overcoming hepatic immunotolerance in mice. Hepatology 2022; 76:630-645. [PMID: 34860431 PMCID: PMC9163212 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Immunotherapy with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade has shown low response rates in liver cancer patients, with the underlying mechanisms unclear. To decipher a specific impact of the liver microenvironment, we compared the effects of anti-PD-L1 antibody (αPD-L1) blockade on the same tumor grown s.c. or in the liver. APPROACH AND RESULTS We generated s.c. tumors in mice by inoculating MC38 colorectal cancer (CRC) cells under the skin and metastatic liver tumors by portal vein or splenic injection of CRC cells. Tumor-bearing mice were treated by i.p. injection of αPD-L1, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly[I:C]), or both. αPD-L1 monotherapy significantly suppressed s.c. tumor growth, but showed no effect on metastatic liver tumors. However, the combination of αPD-L1 with poly(I:C), an innate immunity-stimulating reagent, robustly inhibited tumor progression in liver. The combination therapy effectively down-regulated myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), but up-regulated ratios of M1/M2 macrophages, CD8/CD4, and CD8/regulatory T (Treg) cells infiltrated into liver tumors and whole liver. A group of long-lasting T-bet+ Eomes- PD-1- cytotoxic T cells was maintained in the combo-treated liver, leading to resistance to tumor recurrence. Depleting macrophages or blocking type Ⅰ interferon signaling abrogated the synergistic antitumor effect of αPD-L1 and poly(I:C), indicating a requirement of boosting innate immunity for optimized activation of cytotoxic T cells by PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. CONCLUSIONS The poor response of liver cancers to αPD-L1 therapy is largely attributable to a unique hepatic immunotolerant microenvironment, independent of tumor origins or types. The success of a combinatorial immunotherapy relies on coordinated inhibition or activation of various innate and adaptive immune cell activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Xin
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Meixiang Yang
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Panyisha Wu
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Li Du
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Xingyu Deng
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Enfu Hui
- Section of Cell & Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Gen-Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, Division of Biological Sciences and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
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22
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The Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Neither Hot nor Cold. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14174236. [PMID: 36077772 PMCID: PMC9454892 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14174236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this review, we discuss the current understanding of pro- and anticancer immune responses in the tumor immune microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We describe the duality and complexity of immune cell functions in the tumor microenvironment and also illustrate therapeutic approaches that modulate the antitumor immune response. Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common pancreatic tumor and is associated with poor prognosis and treatment response. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is recognized as an important factor in metastatic progression across cancers. Despite extensive study of the TME in PDAC, the cellular and molecular signaling networks remain poorly understood, largely due to the tremendous heterogeneity across tumors. While earlier work characterized PDAC as an immunologically privileged tumor poorly recognized by the immune system, recent studies revealed the important and nuanced roles of immune cells in the pathogenesis of PDAC. Distinct lymphoid, myeloid, and stromal cell types in the TME exert opposing influences on PDAC tumor trajectory, suggesting a more complex organization than the classical “hot” versus “cold” tumor distinction. We review the pro- and antitumor immune processes found in PDAC and briefly discuss their leverage for the development of novel therapeutic approaches in the field.
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23
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Lu Y, Ma S, Ding W, Sun P, Zhou Q, Duan Y, Sartorius K. Resident Immune Cells of the Liver in the Tumor Microenvironment. Front Oncol 2022; 12:931995. [PMID: 35965506 PMCID: PMC9365660 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.931995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver is a central immunomodulator that ensures a homeostatic balance between protection and immunotolerance. A hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the deregulation of this tightly controlled immunological network. Immune response in the liver involves a complex interplay between resident innate, innate, and adaptive immune cells. The immune response in the liver is modulated by its continuous exposure to toxic molecules and microorganisms that requires a degree of immune tolerance to protect normal tissue from damage. In HCC pathogenesis, immune cells must balance a dual role that includes the elimination of malignant cells, as well as the repair of damaged liver tissue to maintain homeostasis. Immune response in the innate and adaptive immune systems extends to the cross-talk and interaction involving immune-regulating non-hematopoietic cells, myeloid immune cells, and lymphoid immune cells. In this review, we discuss the different immune responses of resident immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Current FDA-approved targeted therapies, including immunotherapy options, have produced modest results to date for the treatment of advanced HCC. Although immunotherapy therapy to date has demonstrated its potential efficacy, immune cell pathways need to be better understood. In this review article, we summarize the roles of specific resident immune cell subsets and their cross-talk subversion in HCC pathogenesis, with a view to identifying potential new biomarkers and therapy options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjie Lu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Chanozhou, China
| | - Shiying Ma
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Chanozhou, China
| | - Wei Ding
- Department of General Surgery, Wujin Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Changzhou, China
| | - Pengcheng Sun
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Chanozhou, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Chanozhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qi Zhou, ; Yunfei Duan, ; Kurt Sartorius,
| | - Yunfei Duan
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Chanozhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qi Zhou, ; Yunfei Duan, ; Kurt Sartorius,
| | - Kurt Sartorius
- Hepatitis Diversity Research Unit, School of Internal Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Africa Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium (AHPBCC), Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- University of Kwazulu-Natal Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Unit (UKZN/GICRC), Durban, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Qi Zhou, ; Yunfei Duan, ; Kurt Sartorius,
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24
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Gumberger P, Bjornsson B, Sandström P, Bojmar L, Zambirinis CP. The Liver Pre-Metastatic Niche in Pancreatic Cancer: A Potential Opportunity for Intervention. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3028. [PMID: 35740692 PMCID: PMC9221452 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14123028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-related mortality is primarily a consequence of metastatic dissemination and associated complications. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies and tends to metastasize early, especially in the liver. Emerging evidence suggests that organs that develop metastases exhibit microscopic changes that favor metastatic growth, collectively known as "pre-metastatic niches". By definition, a pre-metastatic niche is chronologically established before overt metastatic outgrowth, and its generation involves the release of tumor-derived secreted factors that modulate cells intrinsic to the recipient organ, as well as recruitment of additional cells from tertiary sites, such as bone marrow-all orchestrated by the primary tumor. The pre-metastatic niche is characterized by tumor-promoting inflammation with tumor-supportive and immune-suppressive features, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, angiogenic modulation and metabolic alterations that support growth of disseminated tumor cells. In this paper, we review the current state of knowledge of the hepatic pre-metastatic niche in PDAC and attempt to create a framework to guide future diagnostic and therapeutic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Gumberger
- Department of Surgery, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden; (P.G.); (B.B.); (P.S.)
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Bergthor Bjornsson
- Department of Surgery, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden; (P.G.); (B.B.); (P.S.)
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Per Sandström
- Department of Surgery, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden; (P.G.); (B.B.); (P.S.)
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Linda Bojmar
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden;
- Children’s Cancer and Blood Foundation Laboratories, Departments of Pediatrics, and Cell and Developmental Biology, Drukier Institute for Children’s Health, Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
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25
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Luan H, He Y, Zhang T, Su Y, Zhou L. The identification of liver metastasis- and prognosis-associated genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:463. [PMID: 35477379 PMCID: PMC9047343 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09577-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an often fatal malignancy with an extremely low survival rate. Liver metastasis, which causes high mortality, is the most common recurring metastasis for PDAC. However, the mechanisms underlying this liver metastasis and associated candidate biomarkers are unknown. METHODS We performed mRNA profiling comparisons in 8 primary tumors (T) and 12 liver metastases (M) samples using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. After determining differentially expressed genes (DEG), gene ontology (GO), pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to determine DEG functions. Then, Cytoscape was used to screen out significant hub genes, after which their clinical relevance was investigated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) resources. Furthermore, prognosis-associated gene expression was validated using Oncomine and TCGA database. Lastly, associations between prognosis-associated genes, immune cells and immunological checkpoint genes were evaluated using the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). RESULTS In total, 102 genes were related to liver metastasis and predominantly involved in cell migration, motility, and adhesion. Using Cytoscape, this number was narrowed down to 16 hub genes. Elevated mRNA expression levels for two of these genes, SPARC (P = 0.019) and TPM1 (P = 0.037) were significantly correlated with poor disease prognosis. For the remaining 14, expression was not related to overall patient survival. SPARC had higher expression in patients with metastatic PDAC than those with non-metastatic PDAC in TCGA dataset. SPARC and TPM1 levels were also positively correlated with the immune infiltration of specific cell types. Additionally, both genes exhibited strong co-expression associations with immune checkpoint genes. CONCLUSIONS Combined, we suggest SPARC has high potential as biomarker to predict liver metastasis during PDAC. Additionally, both SPARC and TPM1 appeared to recruit and regulate immune-infiltrating cells during these pathophysiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Luan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye He
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanna Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Zhou
- Department of Post Graduation Training, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155, Nanjingbei Street, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, People's Republic of China.
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26
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Prasad M, Zorea J, Jagadeeshan S, Shnerb AB, Mathukkada S, Bouaoud J, Michon L, Novoplansky O, Badarni M, Cohen L, Yegodayev KM, Tzadok S, Rotblat B, Brezina L, Mock A, Karabajakian A, Fayette J, Cohen I, Cooks T, Allon I, Dimitstein O, Joshua B, Kong D, Voronov E, Scaltriti M, Carmi Y, Conde-Lopez C, Hess J, Kurth I, Morris LGT, Saintigny P, Elkabets M. MEK1/2 inhibition transiently alters the tumor immune microenvironment to enhance immunotherapy efficacy against head and neck cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-003917. [PMID: 35292516 PMCID: PMC8928405 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway is hyperactive in head and neck cancer (HNC), inhibition of MEK1/2 in HNC patients has not shown clinically meaningful activity. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the effect of MEK1/2 inhibition on the tumor microenvironment (TME) of MAPK-driven HNC, elucidate tumor-host interaction mechanisms facilitating immune escape on treatment, and apply rationale-based therapy combination immunotherapy and MEK1/2 inhibitor to induce tumor clearance. Methods Mouse syngeneic tumors and xenografts experiments were used to analyze tumor growth in vivo. Single-cell cytometry by time of flight, flow cytometry, and tissue stainings were used to profile the TME in response to trametinib (MEK1/2 inhibitor). Co-culture of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) with CD8+ T cells was used to measure immune suppression. Overexpression of colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) in tumor cells was used to show the effect of tumor-derived CSF-1 on sensitivity to trametinib and anti-programmed death- 1 (αPD-1) in mice. In HNC patients, the ratio between CSF-1 and CD8A was measured to test the association with clinical benefit to αPD-1 and αPD-L1 treatment. Results Using preclinical HNC models, we demonstrated that treatment with trametinib delays HNC initiation and progression by reducing tumor cell proliferation and enhancing the antitumor immunity of CD8+ T cells. Activation of CD8+ T cells by supplementation with αPD-1 antibody eliminated tumors and induced an immune memory in the cured mice. Mechanistically, an early response to trametinib treatment sensitized tumors to αPD-1-supplementation by attenuating the expression of tumor-derived CSF-1, which reduced the abundance of two CSF-1R+CD11c+ MDSC populations in the TME. In contrast, prolonged treatment with trametinib abolished the antitumor activity of αPD-1, because tumor cells undergoing the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in response to trametinib restored CSF-1 expression and recreated an immune-suppressive TME. Conclusion Our findings provide the rationale for testing the trametinib/αPD-1 combination in HNC and highlight the importance of sensitizing tumors to αPD-1 by using MEK1/2 to interfere with the tumor–host interaction. Moreover, we describe the concept that treatment of cancer with a targeted therapy transiently induces an immune-active microenvironment, and supplementation of immunotherapy during this time further activates the antitumor machinery to cause tumor elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu Prasad
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan Zorea
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sankar Jagadeeshan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Avital B Shnerb
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sooraj Mathukkada
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jebrane Bouaoud
- Department of Translational Medicine Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France.,Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69373, France
| | - Lucas Michon
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69373, France
| | - Ofra Novoplansky
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Mai Badarni
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Limor Cohen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ksenia M Yegodayev
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sapir Tzadok
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Barak Rotblat
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Libor Brezina
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Andreas Mock
- Department of Medical Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Translational Medical Oncology, NCT Heidelberg, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andy Karabajakian
- Department of Translational Medicine Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France.,Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69373, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France
| | - Jérôme Fayette
- Department of Translational Medicine Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France.,Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69373, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France
| | - Idan Cohen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tomer Cooks
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Irit Allon
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Institute of Pathology, Barzilai University Medical Center, Ashkelon, Israel
| | - Orr Dimitstein
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Benzion Joshua
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon, Israel
| | - Dexin Kong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Elena Voronov
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Maurizio Scaltriti
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Yaron Carmi
- Department of Pathology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Cristina Conde-Lopez
- Division of Radiooncology-Radiobiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen Hess
- Section Experimental and Translational Head and Neck Oncology, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Research Group Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ina Kurth
- Division of Radiooncology-Radiobiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luc G T Morris
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pierre Saintigny
- Department of Translational Medicine Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France.,Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69373, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon 69373, France
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel .,Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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27
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Plesca I, Benešová I, Beer C, Sommer U, Müller L, Wehner R, Heiduk M, Aust D, Baretton G, Bachmann MP, Feldmann A, Weitz J, Seifert L, Seifert AM, Schmitz M. Clinical Significance of Tumor-Infiltrating Conventional and Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051216. [PMID: 35267524 PMCID: PMC8909898 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The tumor immune contexture plays a pivotal role for the clinical outcome of cancer patients and the efficacy of various treatment modalities. Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a major component of the tumor immune architecture that can either efficiently promote antitumor immunity or contribute to immunosuppression. Here, we investigated the frequency, spatial organization, and clinical significance of tumor-infiltrating conventional DCs type 1 (cDC1s) and type 2 (cDC2s) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A higher frequency of whole tumor area (WTA)- and tumor stroma (TS)-infiltrating cDC1s, and of intraepithelial tumor-infiltrating cDC2s, was significantly associated with improved survival. Furthermore, a higher density of both WTA- and TS-infiltrating cDC1s and pDCs emerged as an independent prognostic factor for better survival. These results provide evidence that tumor-infiltrating DCs are associated with survival of PDAC patients and may support the design of novel DC-based immunotherapeutic strategies. Abstract Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the orchestration of antitumor immunity. Activated DCs efficiently enhance antitumor effects mediated by natural killer cells and T lymphocytes. Conversely, tolerogenic DCs essentially contribute to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Thus, DCs can profoundly influence tumor progression and clinical outcome of tumor patients. To gain novel insights into the role of human DCs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we explored the frequency, spatial organization, and clinical significance of conventional DCs type 1 (cDC1s) and type 2 (cDC2s) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in primary PDAC tissues. A higher density of whole tumor area (WTA)- and tumor stroma (TS)-infiltrating cDC1s was significantly associated with better disease-free survival (DFS). In addition, an increased frequency of intraepithelial tumor-infiltrating cDC2s was linked to better DFS and overall survival (OS). Furthermore, an increased density of WTA- and TS-infiltrating pDCs tended to improve DFS. Moreover, a higher frequency of WTA- and TS-infiltrating cDC1s and pDCs emerged as an independent prognostic factor for better DFS and OS. These findings indicate that tumor-infiltrating DCs can significantly influence the clinical outcome of PDAC patients and may contribute to the design of novel treatment options that target PDAC-infiltrating DCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Plesca
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (I.P.); (I.B.); (C.B.); (L.M.); (R.W.)
| | - Iva Benešová
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (I.P.); (I.B.); (C.B.); (L.M.); (R.W.)
| | - Carolin Beer
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (I.P.); (I.B.); (C.B.); (L.M.); (R.W.)
| | - Ulrich Sommer
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (U.S.); (D.A.); (G.B.)
| | - Luise Müller
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (I.P.); (I.B.); (C.B.); (L.M.); (R.W.)
| | - Rebekka Wehner
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (I.P.); (I.B.); (C.B.); (L.M.); (R.W.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Max Heiduk
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniela Aust
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (U.S.); (D.A.); (G.B.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gustavo Baretton
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (U.S.); (D.A.); (G.B.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael P Bachmann
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Tumor Immunology, University Cancer Center (UCC), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzener Straße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Anja Feldmann
- Department of Radioimmunology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzener Straße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Jürgen Weitz
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Lena Seifert
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Adrian M Seifert
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (I.P.); (I.B.); (C.B.); (L.M.); (R.W.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.H.); (M.P.B.); (J.W.); (L.S.); (A.M.S.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-351-458-6501
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Huang YK, Busuttil RA, Boussioutas A. The Role of Innate Immune Cells in Tumor Invasion and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235885. [PMID: 34884995 PMCID: PMC8656477 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235885] [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: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tumor invasion and metastasis are one of the main reasons patients succumb to cancer. In this review, we summarize recent studies which provide evidence on the involvement of cells of the innate immune system and their function in invasion and metastasis. Abstract Metastasis is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer and enhanced tumor invasion and metastasis is significantly associated with cancer mortality. Metastasis occurs via a series of integrated processes involving tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. The innate immune components of the microenvironment have been shown to engage with tumor cells and not only regulate their proliferation and survival, but also modulate the surrounding environment to enable cancer progression. In the era of immune therapies, it is critical to understand how different innate immune cell populations are involved in this process. This review summarizes recent literature describing the roles of innate immune cells during the tumor metastatic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Kuan Huang
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (Y.-K.H.); (R.A.B.)
| | - Rita A. Busuttil
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (Y.-K.H.); (R.A.B.)
| | - Alex Boussioutas
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (Y.-K.H.); (R.A.B.)
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Costa AC, Santos JMO, Gil da Costa RM, Medeiros R. Impact of immune cells on the hallmarks of cancer: A literature review. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2021; 168:103541. [PMID: 34801696 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) are critical players in the tumor microenvironment, modulating cancer cell functions. TIICs are highly heterogenic and plastic and may either suppress cancers or provide support for tumor growth. A wide range of studies have shed light on how tumor-associated macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, mast cells, natural killer cells and lymphocytes contribute for the establishment of several hallmarks of cancer and became the basis for successful immunotherapies. Many of those TIICs play pivotal roles in several hallmarks of cancer. This review contributes to elucidate the multifaceted roles of immune cells in cancer development, highlighting molecular components that constitute promising therapeutic targets. Additional studies are needed to clarify the relation between TIICs and hallmarks such as enabling replicative immortality, evading growth suppressors, sustaining proliferative signaling, resisting cell death and genome instability and mutation, to further explore their therapeutic potential and improve the outcomes of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra C Costa
- Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP) / RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) / Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), 4200-319, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Joana M O Santos
- Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP) / RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) / Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), 4200-319, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Rui M Gil da Costa
- Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP) / RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) / Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Inov4Agro, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; Postgraduate Programme in Adult Health (PPGSAD), Department of Morphology, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), and UFMA University Hospital (HUUFMA), 65080-805, São Luís, Brazil.
| | - Rui Medeiros
- Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP) / RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) / Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), 4200-319, Porto, Portugal; Virology Service, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal; CEBIMED, Faculty of Health Sciences of the Fernando Pessoa University, 4249-004, Porto, Portugal; Research Department of the Portuguese League Against Cancer-Regional Nucleus of the North (Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro-Núcleo Regional do Norte), 4200-177, Porto, Portugal.
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Hu H, Zhang S, Xiong S, Hu B, He Y, Gu Y. ACTR3 promotes cell migration and invasion by inducing epithelial mesenchymal transition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol 2021; 12:2325-2333. [PMID: 34790395 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-21-609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recurrence and metastasis are the major causes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mortality after treatment. The underlying molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Actin-related protein 3 (ACTR3) is an important component of the actin-related protein 2/3 complex, which is involved in the regulation of cell motility and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Previously published studies have indicated that ACTR3 expression is upregulated in several types of cancers, and promotes tumor development, including gastric cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, to date, the expression levels and the role of ACTR3 in PDAC are not well understood. Methods In the present study, the expression levels of ACTR3 in PDAC tissue and the relationship of ACTR3 expression with clinical prognosis were analyzed by mRNA microarray and bioinformatics. The biological functions and underlying mechanism of ACTR3 in PDAC were examined by a series of assays, including Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell assay, and Western blotting. Results We found that the expression of ACTR3 was significantly increased in PDAC tissues and cell lines. A higher expression of ACTR3 was predictive of poor outcome for patients with PDAC. In vitro, the knockdown of ACTR3 expression significantly inhibited the invasive and migratory capacity of PDAC cells, and altered the distribution of F-actin and the expression of EMT markers. Conclusions The findings of our study indicated that ACTR3 promotes cell migration and invasion by inducing EMT in PDAC, which may be a potential therapeutic target and prognostic indicator for PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Wuxi, China.,School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Wuxi Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Wuxi, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Shuming Xiong
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Benshun Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Wuxi Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Wuxi, China
| | - Youzhao He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Wuxi Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Wuxi, China
| | - Yuanlong Gu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Wuxi Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Wuxi, China
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31
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New Insight into the Effects of Metformin on Diabetic Retinopathy, Aging and Cancer: Nonapoptotic Cell Death, Immunosuppression, and Effects beyond the AMPK Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179453. [PMID: 34502359 PMCID: PMC8430477 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Under metabolic stress conditions such as hypoxia and glucose deprivation, an increase in the AMP:ATP ratio activates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, resulting in the modulation of cellular metabolism. Metformin, which is widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, regulates blood sugar by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis and promoting insulin sensitivity to facilitate glucose uptake by cells. At the molecular level, the most well-known mechanism of metformin-mediated cytoprotection is AMPK pathway activation, which modulates metabolism and protects cells from degradation or pathogenic changes, such as those related to aging and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Recently, it has been revealed that metformin acts via AMPK- and non-AMPK-mediated pathways to exert effects beyond those related to diabetes treatment that might prevent aging and ameliorate DR. This review focuses on new insights into the anticancer effects of metformin and its potential modulation of several novel types of nonapoptotic cell death, including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. In addition, the antimetastatic and immunosuppressive effects of metformin and its hypothesized mechanism are also discussed, highlighting promising cancer prevention strategies for the future.
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32
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Jiang X, Wang J, Chen P, He Z, Xu J, Chen Y, Liu X, Jiang J. [6]-Paradol suppresses proliferation and metastases of pancreatic cancer by decreasing EGFR and inactivating PI3K/AKT signaling. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:420. [PMID: 34376189 PMCID: PMC8353760 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02118-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The underlying mechanism behind the tumorigenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer is not clear, and treatment failure is generally caused by early metastasis, recurrence, drug resistance and vascular invasion. Exploring novel therapeutic regimens is necessary to overcome drug resistance and improve patients outcomes. Methods Functional assays were performed to investigate the role of [6]-Paradol (6-P) in proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. The interaction between EGFR and 6-P was tested by KEGG enrichment analysis and molecular docking analysis. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of EGFR in 6-P treated groups. Involvement of the PI3K/AKT pathway was measured by western blotting. Results 6-P significantly suppressed pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. KEGG enrichment analysis and molecular docking analysis suggested that there existed certain interaction between EGFR and 6-P. In addition, 6-P obviously decreased EGFR protein expression level but did not change the mRNA expression level of EGFR. 6-P could induce degradation of EGFR through decreasing the protein stability of EGFR and enhancing the ubiquitin-mediated proteasome-dependent degradation, 6-P-mediated EGFR degradation led to inactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. However, ectopic expression of EGFR protein resulted in resistance to 6-P-mediated inactivity of PI3K/AKT signaling and inhibition of malignant phenotype of pancreatic cancer. Inversely, erlotinib could enhance the 6-P-mediated anticancer activity. Conclusion Our data indicated that 6-P/EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling axis might become one of the potential therapies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02118-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyi Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Ziyang Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Ziyang Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Ziyang Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhiwei He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Ziyang Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430060, People's Republic of China.,Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Ziyang Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Yankun Chen
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xinyuan Liu
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jianxin Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 99 Ziyang Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430060, People's Republic of China.
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Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment are independent yet synergistic drivers of tumour progression and underlie therapeutic resistance. Recent studies have highlighted the complex interaction between these cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms. The reciprocal communication between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and infiltrating immune cell populations in the tumour microenvironment is a paradigm for these interactions. In this Perspective, we discuss the signalling programmes that simultaneously induce CSCs and reprogramme the immune response to facilitate tumour immune evasion, metastasis and recurrence. We further highlight biological factors that can impact the nature of CSC-immune cell communication. Finally, we discuss targeting opportunities for simultaneous regulation of the CSC niche and immunosurveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Defne Bayik
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Justin D Lathia
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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34
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Zhang Y, Liu Q, Liu J, Liao Q. Upregulated CD58 is associated with clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:327. [PMID: 34193136 PMCID: PMC8243423 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02037-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background CD58 has been demonstrated to be abnormally expressed in multiple hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors and plays an essential role in tumorigenesis and progression; however, its clinical significance and prognostic value in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain unknown. Methods Based on diverse online public databases and 81 PDAC samples of tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry (IHC), we evaluated CD58 expression in PDAC patients and analyzed its association with clinicopathological characteristics, clinical outcomes, and infiltration of immune cells in PDAC. Furthermore, the correlation between CD58 and the cancer stem cell (CSC)-related, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related, and immune-related markers were detected. Besides, the functional enrichment analysis and related pathways were analyzed and visualized. Results CD58 expression was elevated in pancreatitis and PDAC tissues than normal pancreas or adjacent nontumor tissues. The positive cases of CD58 (e.g. more than 50% positive cells) in PDAC account for 95.06% (77/81). Upregulated CD58 in cancer tissues was associated with worse histological grade, larger tumor size, and poorer overall survival and disease-free survival in PDAC patients. Furthermore, Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that CD58 was an independent prognostic factor in PDAC. CD58 expression was correlated with infiltrations of neutrophils, CD8+ T cells, and dendritic cells (DCs). In addition, correlation gene analysis indicated that CD58 expression was strongly correlated with immune-related, EMT-related, and CSC-related markers. Functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway manifested that CD58 might be involved in PDAC initiation and progression. Conclusions CD58 expression is upregulated in PDAC tissues and its high expression is notably related to poor survival of PDAC. Therefore, CD58 may serve as a novel and effective marker for predicting the prognosis of PDAC patients. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02037-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalu Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Qiaofei Liu
- Department of General Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jingkai Liu
- Department of General Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Quan Liao
- Department of General Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Xu J, Wang J, He Z, Chen P, Jiang X, Chen Y, Liu X, Jiang J. LncRNA CERS6-AS1 promotes proliferation and metastasis through the upregulation of YWHAG and activation of ERK signaling in pancreatic cancer. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:648. [PMID: 34168120 PMCID: PMC8225895 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03921-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
LncRNAs play essential regulatory roles in pancreatic cancer (PC) tumorigenesis and progression. We aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA CERS6-AS1 in PC. CERS6-AS1 expression was determined in PC tissues and cell lines by PCR analysis. The roles of CERS6-AS1 on proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) were confirmed via CCK-8 assay, EDU assay, transwell assay, wound healing assay, and western blot assay. Besides, the interaction between CERS6-AS1 and their target genes was verified by luciferase report assays and RIP assays. Animal assays and clinical data analysis were performed to validate the functions in vivo. We found that lncRNA CERS6-AS1 was highly expressed in PC tissues and cells. Additionally, high expression of CERS6-AS1 was obviously associated with poor prognosis. Functional assays demonstrated that CERS6-AS1 downregulation significantly inhibited PC cell growth and migration. Moreover, CERS6-AS1 exerted as a molecular sponge for miR-217-5p (miR-217), and miR-217 was confirmed as a potential target of CERS6-AS1. Subsequently, miR-217 suppressed PC cell proliferation and metastasis by directly targeting YWHAG, which interacted with RAF1 and promoted its phosphorylation, leading to RAF1-mediated ERK signaling activation and translocation of phosphorylated ERK from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Mechanically, CERS6-AS1 silencing significantly inhibited PC cell proliferation and metastasis via a miR-217/YWHAG/RAF1 signaling axis. CERS6-AS1 exerts as a carcinogen in PC to promote malignant features and behaves as a competitive endogenous RNA for miR-217. We identified CERS6-AS1 as a potential biomarker or therapeutic target to improve PC diagnosis and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiwei He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xueyi Jiang
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yankun Chen
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xinyuan Liu
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jianxin Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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36
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Pancreatic cancer immune evasion mechanisms: the immunosuppressive role of P2RX1-negative neutrophils. Purinergic Signal 2021; 17:173-174. [PMID: 33786722 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-021-09782-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Brouwer TP, Vahrmeijer AL, de Miranda NFCC. Immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer: chasing the light at the end of the tunnel. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2021; 44:261-278. [PMID: 33710604 PMCID: PMC7985121 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-021-00587-z] [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] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Checkpoint blockade immunotherapy has had a significant impact on the survival of a subset of patients with advanced cancers. It has been particularly effective in immunogenic cancer types that present large numbers of somatic mutations in their genomes. To date, all conventional immunotherapies have failed to produce significant clinical benefits for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, probably due to its poor immunogenic properties, including low numbers of neoantigens and highly immune-suppressive microenvironments. CONCLUSIONS Herein, we discuss advances that have recently been made in cancer immunotherapy and the potential of this field to deliver effective treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients. Preclinical investigations, combining different types of therapies, highlight possibilities to enhance anti-tumor immunity and to generate meaningful clinical responses in pancreatic cancer patients. Results from completed and ongoing (pre)clinical trials are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Brouwer
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC
| | | | - Noel F C C de Miranda
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC.
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38
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Cheng S, Li Z, Gao R, Xing B, Gao Y, Yang Y, Qin S, Zhang L, Ouyang H, Du P, Jiang L, Zhang B, Yang Y, Wang X, Ren X, Bei JX, Hu X, Bu Z, Ji J, Zhang Z. A pan-cancer single-cell transcriptional atlas of tumor infiltrating myeloid cells. Cell 2021; 184:792-809.e23. [PMID: 33545035 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 521] [Impact Index Per Article: 173.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells (TIMs) are key regulators in tumor progression, but the similarity and distinction of their fundamental properties across different tumors remain elusive. Here, by performing a pan-cancer analysis of single myeloid cells from 210 patients across 15 human cancer types, we identified distinct features of TIMs across cancer types. Mast cells in nasopharyngeal cancer were found to be associated with better prognosis and exhibited an anti-tumor phenotype with a high ratio of TNF+/VEGFA+ cells. Systematic comparison between cDC1- and cDC2-derived LAMP3+ cDCs revealed their differences in transcription factors and external stimulus. Additionally, pro-angiogenic tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were characterized with diverse markers across different cancer types, and the composition of TIMs appeared to be associated with certain features of somatic mutations and gene expressions. Our results provide a systematic view of the highly heterogeneous TIMs and suggest future avenues for rational, targeted immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijin Cheng
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ranran Gao
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Baocai Xing
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yunong Gao
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yu Yang
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shishang Qin
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hanqiang Ouyang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Spinal Disease Research, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Peng Du
- Department of Urology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Liang Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Spinal Disease Research, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Yue Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery II, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Xiliang Wang
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xianwen Ren
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jin-Xin Bei
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Centre for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xueda Hu
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhaode Bu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
| | - Jiafu Ji
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China; Department of Biobank, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
| | - Zemin Zhang
- BIOPIC, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China; Peking University International Cancer Institute, Beijing 100191, China.
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Melanoma Cell Resistance to Vemurafenib Modifies Inter-Cellular Communication Signals. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9010079. [PMID: 33467521 PMCID: PMC7830125 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9010079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic success of BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) and MEK inhibitors (MEKi) in BRAF-mutant melanoma is limited by the emergence of drug resistance, and several lines of evidence suggest that changes in the tumor microenvironment can play a pivotal role in acquired resistance. The present study focused on secretome profiling of melanoma cells sensitive or resistant to the BRAFi vemurafenib. Proteomic and cytokine/chemokine secretion analyses were performed in order to better understand the interplay between vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells and the tumor microenvironment. We found that vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells can influence dendritic cell (DC) maturation by modulating their activation and cytokine production. In particular, human DCs exposed to conditioned medium (CM) from vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells produced higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines—that potentially facilitate melanoma growth—than DCs exposed to CM derived from parental drug-sensitive cells. Bioinformatic analysis performed on proteins identified by mass spectrometry in the culture medium from vemurafenib-sensitive and vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells suggests a possible involvement of the proteasome pathway. Moreover, our data confirm that BRAFi-resistant cells display a more aggressive phenotype compared to parental ones, with a significantly increased production of interferon-γ, interleukin-8, vascular-endothelial growth factor, CD147/basigin, and metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2). Plasma levels of CD147/basigin and MMP-2 were also measured before the start of therapy and at disease progression in a small group of melanoma patients treated with vemurafenib or vemurafenib plus cobimetinib. A significant increment in CD147/basigin and MMP-2 was observed in all patients at the time of treatment failure, strengthening the hypothesis that CD147/basigin might play a role in BRAFi resistance.
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Wang X, Hu LP, Qin WT, Yang Q, Chen DY, Li Q, Zhou KX, Huang PQ, Xu CJ, Li J, Yao LL, Wang YH, Tian GA, Yang JY, Yang MW, Liu DJ, Sun YW, Jiang SH, Zhang XL, Zhang ZG. Identification of a subset of immunosuppressive P2RX1-negative neutrophils in pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:174. [PMID: 33420030 PMCID: PMC7794439 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20447-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunosuppressive microenvironment that is shaped by hepatic metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is essential for tumor cell evasion of immune destruction. Neutrophils are important components of the metastatic tumor microenvironment and exhibit heterogeneity. However, the specific phenotypes, functions and regulatory mechanisms of neutrophils in PDAC liver metastases remain unknown. Here, we show that a subset of P2RX1-negative neutrophils accumulate in clinical and murine PDAC liver metastases. RNA sequencing of murine PDAC liver metastasis-infiltrated neutrophils show that P2RX1-deficient neutrophils express increased levels of immunosuppressive molecules, including PD-L1, and have enhanced mitochondrial metabolism. Mechanistically, the transcription factor Nrf2 is upregulated in P2RX1-deficient neutrophils and associated with PD-L1 expression and metabolic reprogramming. An anti-PD-1 neutralizing antibody is sufficient to compromise the immunosuppressive effects of P2RX1-deficient neutrophils on OVA-activated OT1 CD8+ T cells. Therefore, our study uncovers a mechanism by which metastatic PDAC tumors evade antitumor immunity by accumulating a subset of immunosuppressive P2RX1-negative neutrophils. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive metastatic disease characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Here the authors show that a subset of P2RX1-negative neutrophils with immunosuppressive properties accumulate in PDAC metastatic liver tissues and promote tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, P.R. China
| | - Li-Peng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Ting Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Qin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - De-Yu Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, P.R. China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Kai-Xia Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Pei-Qi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Chun-Jie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Lin-Li Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Guang-Ang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Yu Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Min-Wei Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - De-Jun Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yong-Wei Sun
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
| | - Shu-Heng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
| | - Xue-Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
| | - Zhi-Gang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China.
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41
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Schaller J, Agudo J. Metastatic Colonization: Escaping Immune Surveillance. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3385. [PMID: 33207601 PMCID: PMC7697481 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has shifted the paradigm in cancer therapy by revitalizing immune responses against tumor cells. Specifically, in primary tumors cancer cells evolve in an immunosuppressive microenvironment, which protects them from immune attack. However, during tumor progression, some cancer cells leave the protective tumor mass, disseminating and seeding secondary organs. These initial disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) should potentially be susceptible to recognition by the immune system in the new host tissues. Although Natural Killer or T cells eliminate some of these DTCs, a fraction escape anti-tumor immunity and survive, thus giving rise to metastatic colonization. How DTCs interact with immune cells and the underpinnings that regulate imperfect immune responses during tumor dissemination remain poorly understood. Uncovering such mechanisms of immune evasion may contribute to the development of immunotherapy specifically targeting DTCs. Here we review current knowledge about systemic and site-specific immune-cancer crosstalk in the early steps of metastasis formation. Moreover, we highlight how conventional cancer therapies can shape the pre-metastatic niche enabling immune escape of newly arrived DTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Schaller
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Department of Fundamental Oncology, University of Lausanne–Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Judith Agudo
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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42
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Oncolytic Adenovirus in Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12113354. [PMID: 33202717 PMCID: PMC7697649 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-selective replicating "oncolytic" viruses are novel and promising tools for immunotherapy of cancer. However, despite their first success in clinical trials, previous experience suggests that currently used oncolytic virus monotherapies will not be effective enough to achieve complete tumor responses and long-term cure in a broad spectrum of cancers. Nevertheless, there are reasonable arguments that suggest advanced oncolytic viruses will play an essential role as enablers of multi-stage immunotherapies including established systemic immunotherapies. Oncolytic adenoviruses (oAds) display several features to meet this therapeutic need. oAds potently lyse infected tumor cells and induce a strong immunogenic cell death associated with tumor inflammation and induction of antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, established and versatile platforms of oAds exist, which are well suited for the incorporation of heterologous genes to optimally exploit and amplify the immunostimulatory effect of viral oncolysis. A considerable spectrum of functional genes has already been integrated in oAds to optimize particular aspects of immune stimulation including antigen presentation, T cell priming, engagement of additional effector functions, and interference with immunosuppression. These advanced concepts have the potential to play a promising future role as enablers of multi-stage immunotherapies involving adoptive cell transfer and systemic immunotherapies.
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43
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Sistigu A, Musella M, Galassi C, Vitale I, De Maria R. Tuning Cancer Fate: Tumor Microenvironment's Role in Cancer Stem Cell Quiescence and Reawakening. Front Immunol 2020; 11:2166. [PMID: 33193295 PMCID: PMC7609361 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.02166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cell dormancy is a common feature of human tumors and represents a major clinical barrier to the long-term efficacy of anticancer therapies. Dormant cancer cells, either in primary tumors or disseminated in secondary organs, may reawaken and relapse into a more aggressive disease. The mechanisms underpinning dormancy entry and exit strongly resemble those governing cancer cell stemness and include intrinsic and contextual cues. Cellular and molecular components of the tumor microenvironment persistently interact with cancer cells. This dialog is highly dynamic, as it evolves over time and space, strongly cooperates with intrinsic cell nets, and governs cancer cell features (like quiescence and stemness) and fate (survival and outgrowth). Therefore, there is a need for deeper insight into the biology of dormant cancer (stem) cells and the mechanisms regulating the equilibrium quiescence-versus-proliferation are vital in our pursuit of new therapeutic opportunities to prevent cancer from recurring. Here, we review and discuss microenvironmental regulations of cancer dormancy and its parallels with cancer stemness, and offer insights into the therapeutic strategies adopted to prevent a lethal recurrence, by either eradicating resident dormant cancer (stem) cells or maintaining them in a dormant state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Sistigu
- Istituto di Patologia Generale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Musella
- Istituto di Patologia Generale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Galassi
- Istituto di Patologia Generale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilio Vitale
- IIGM - Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine, c/o IRCSS Candiolo (TO), Candiolo, Italy.,Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Ruggero De Maria
- Istituto di Patologia Generale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" - IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Zagorulya M, Duong E, Spranger S. Impact of anatomic site on antigen-presenting cells in cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:e001204. [PMID: 33020244 PMCID: PMC7537336 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Checkpoint blockade immunotherapy (CBT) can induce long-term clinical benefits in patients with advanced cancer; however, response rates to CBT vary by cancer type. Cancers of the skin, lung, and kidney are largely responsive to CBT, while cancers of the pancreas, ovary, breast, and metastatic lesions to the liver respond poorly. The impact of tissue-resident immune cells on antitumor immunity is an emerging area of investigation. Recent evidence indicates that antitumor immune responses and efficacy of CBT depend on the tissue site of the tumor lesion. As myeloid cells are predominantly tissue-resident and can shape tumor-reactive T cell responses, it is conceivable that tissue-specific differences in their function underlie the tissue-site-dependent variability in CBT responses. Understanding the roles of tissue-specific myeloid cells in antitumor immunity can open new avenues for treatment design. In this review, we discuss the roles of tissue-specific antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in governing antitumor immune responses, with a particular focus on the contributions of tissue-specific dendritic cells. Using the framework of the Cancer-Immunity Cycle, we examine the contributions of tissue-specific APC in CBT-sensitive and CBT-resistant carcinomas, highlight how these cells can be therapeutically modulated, and identify gaps in knowledge that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Zagorulya
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ellen Duong
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stefani Spranger
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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45
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Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Versatile Players in the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092652. [PMID: 32957515 PMCID: PMC7564346 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key players in the tumor microenvironment. They are responsible for potentiating growth and metastasis through versatile functions, including maintenance of the extracellular matrix, blood vessel formation, modulation of tumor metabolism, suppression of antitumor immunity, and promotion of chemotherapy resistance. As such, CAFs are associated with poor prognosis and have emerged as a focus of anticancer research. In this review, we discuss the origins of CAFs, their heterogenous subtypes and their properties. We then detail the current state of preclinical and clinical research targeting CAF activities. We believe the limited efficacy of current cancer therapeutic approaches is driven by an incomplete understanding of CAF functions and by a nonstandardized CAF classification system. Therefore, we suggest a unified CAF classification based on specific functions to develop a new class of therapies that will focus on targeting the pro-tumorigenic properties of CAFs during tumor progression. Abstract Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are indispensable architects of the tumor microenvironment. They perform the essential functions of extracellular matrix deposition, stromal remodeling, tumor vasculature modulation, modification of tumor metabolism, and participation in crosstalk between cancer and immune cells. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the principal differences between normal fibroblasts and CAFs, the origin of CAFs, their functions, and ultimately, highlight the intimate connection of CAFs to virtually all of the hallmarks of cancer. We address the remarkable degree of functional diversity and phenotypic plasticity displayed by CAFs and strive to stratify CAF biology among different tumor types into practical functional groups. Finally, we summarize the status of recent and ongoing trials of CAF-directed therapies and contend that the paucity of trials resulting in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals thus far is a consequence of the failure to identify targets exclusive of pro-tumorigenic CAF phenotypes that are mechanistically linked to specific CAF functions. We believe that the development of a unified CAF nomenclature, the standardization of functional assays to assess the loss-of-function of CAF properties, and the establishment of rigorous definitions of CAF subpopulations and their mechanistic functions in cancer progression will be crucial to fully realize the promise of CAF-targeted therapies.
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46
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Regulation and modulation of antitumor immunity in pancreatic cancer. Nat Immunol 2020; 21:1152-1159. [PMID: 32807942 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-020-0761-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma carries a dismal prognosis, and outcomes have improved little with modern therapeutics. Checkpoint-based immunotherapy has failed to elicit responses in the vast majority of patients with pancreatic cancer. Alongside tumor cell-intrinsic mechanisms associated with oncogenic KRAS-induced inflammation, the tolerogenic myeloid cell infiltrate has emerged as a critical impediment to adaptive antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, the discovery of an intratumoral microbiome and the elucidation of host-microbe interactions that curtail antitumor immunity also present opportunities for intervention. Here we review the mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and discuss strategies to directly augment T cell responses in parallel with myeloid cell- and microbiome-targeted approaches that may enable immune-mediated control of this malignancy.
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Meng LD, Shi GD, Ge WL, Huang XM, Chen Q, Yuan H, Wu PF, Lu YC, Shen P, Zhang YH, Cao SJ, Miao Y, Tu M, Jiang KR. Linc01232 promotes the metastasis of pancreatic cancer by suppressing the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of HNRNPA2B1 and activating the A-Raf-induced MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Cancer Lett 2020; 494:107-120. [PMID: 32814086 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a malignant cancer with high mortality and poor prognosis. In this study, we found that Linc01232 was significantly upregulated in PC tissues and cells and higher Linc01232 expression was associated with poorer prognosis. Linc01232 overexpression promoted and Linc01232 knockdown inhibited the migration and invasion of PC cells. The results of RNA pull-down, RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays revealed that Linc01232 physically interacted with Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (HNRNPA2B1) (680-890 nt fragment with the RNA recognition motif 2 domain) to inhibit its ubiquitin-mediated degradation in PC cells. RNA sequencing was performed to obtain the transcriptional profiles regulated by Linc01232 and we further demonstrated that Linc01232 participated in the alternative splicing of A-Raf by stabilizing HNRNPA2B1 and subsequently regulated the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Collected, our study showed that Linc01232/HNRNPA2B1/A-Raf/MAPK axis participated in the progression of PC and provided a potential therapeutic target for PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Dong Meng
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Guo-Dong Shi
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Wan-Li Ge
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Xu-Min Huang
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Qun Chen
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Hao Yuan
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Peng-Fei Wu
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Yi-Chao Lu
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Peng Shen
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Yi-Han Zhang
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Shou-Ji Cao
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Yi Miao
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Min Tu
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China.
| | - Kui-Rong Jiang
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China; Pancreas Institute, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China.
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48
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Exosomal lncRNA PCAT-1 promotes Kras-associated chemoresistance via immunosuppressive miR-182/miR-217 signaling and p27/CDK6 regulation. Oncotarget 2020; 11:2847-2862. [PMID: 32754302 PMCID: PMC7381096 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosuppressive chemoresistance is a major burden in lung cancer. Recent data reveal that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) present in the lung tumor microenvironment are implicated in chemoresistant-related immune deregulation, and metastasis but their exact pathogenic role is still unknown. In this study, we investigate the role of lncRNA PCAT-1 in chemoresistant immunosuppression and its involvement in tumor stroma remodeling. Findings reveal PCAT-1 to regulate Kras-related lung chemoresistance through increased expression of the immunosuppressive micrornas miR-182/miR217 in lung tissues, thus promoting a pre-metastatic niche formation and a subsequent increase in lung metastatic burden. Elevated expression of PCAT-1 negative regulates p27/CDK6 expression by inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest through AMPK augmentation, contributing to a tumor-promoting status. Furthermore, PCAT-1 triggered fibroblast differentiation followed by CAF/myofibroblast secretion in TME triggering a CD133/SOX2-related stem cell phenotype. Subsequent PCAT-1 knockdown impaired CAF-mediated stromal activation, and reversed chemoresistance and tumor growth in vivo. Overall, these findings demonstrate the versatile roles of PCAT-1 in sustaining lung immunosuppressive neoplasia through tumor microenvironment remodeling and provide new opportunities for effective metastasis inhibition, especially in chemoresistant tumors.
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Abstract
Tumor immunology is undergoing a renaissance due to the recent profound clinical successes of tumor immunotherapy. These advances have coincided with an exponential growth in the development of -omics technologies. Armed with these technologies and their associated computational and modeling toolsets, systems biologists have turned their attention to tumor immunology in an effort to understand the precise nature and consequences of interactions between tumors and the immune system. Such interactions are inherently multivariate, spanning multiple time and size scales, cell types, and organ systems, rendering systems biology approaches particularly amenable to their interrogation. While in its infancy, the field of 'Cancer Systems Immunology' has already influenced our understanding of tumor immunology and immunotherapy. As the field matures, studies will move beyond descriptive characterizations toward functional investigations of the emergent behavior that govern tumor-immune responses. Thus, Cancer Systems Immunology holds incredible promise to advance our ability to fight this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edgar G Engleman
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
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Del Prete A, Sozio F, Barbazza I, Salvi V, Tiberio L, Laffranchi M, Gismondi A, Bosisio D, Schioppa T, Sozzani S. Functional Role of Dendritic Cell Subsets in Cancer Progression and Clinical Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113930. [PMID: 32486257 PMCID: PMC7312661 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) constitute a complex network of cell subsets with common functions but also with many divergent aspects. All dendritic cell subsets share the ability to prime T cell response and to undergo a complex trafficking program related to their stage of maturation and function. For these reasons, dendritic cells are implicated in a large variety of both protective and detrimental immune responses, including a crucial role in promoting anti-tumor responses. Although cDC1s are the most potent subset in tumor antigen cross-presentation, they are not sufficient to induce full-strength anti-tumor cytotoxic T cell response and need close interaction and cooperativity with the other dendritic cell subsets, namely cDC2s and pDCs. This review will take into consideration different aspects of DC biology, including the functional role of dendritic cell subsets in both fostering and suppressing tumor growth, the mechanisms underlying their recruitment into the tumor microenvironment, as well as the prognostic value and the potentiality of dendritic cell therapeutic targeting. Understanding the specificity of dendritic cell subsets will allow to gain insights on role of these cells in pathological conditions and to design new selective promising therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Del Prete
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano (MI), Italy
| | - Francesca Sozio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano (MI), Italy
| | - Ilaria Barbazza
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Valentina Salvi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Laura Tiberio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Mattia Laffranchi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Angela Gismondi
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Daniela Bosisio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
| | - Tiziana Schioppa
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.D.P.); (F.S.); (I.B.); (V.S.); (L.T.); (M.L.); (D.B.); (T.S.)
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center—IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano (MI), Italy
| | - Silvano Sozzani
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-4434-0632
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