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Neill B, Romero AR, Fenton OS. Advances in Nonviral mRNA Delivery Materials and Their Application as Vaccines for Melanoma Therapy. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:4894-4913. [PMID: 37930174 PMCID: PMC11220486 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are promising platforms for cancer immunotherapy because of their potential to encode for a variety of tumor antigens, high tolerability, and capacity to induce strong antitumor immune responses. However, the clinical translation of mRNA cancer vaccines can be hindered by the inefficient delivery of mRNA in vivo. In this review, we provide an overview of mRNA cancer vaccines by discussing their utility in treating melanoma. Specifically, we begin our review by describing the barriers that can impede mRNA delivery to target cells. We then review native mRNA structure and discuss various modification methods shown to enhance mRNA stability and transfection. Next, we outline the advantages and challenges of three nonviral carrier platforms (lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, and lipopolyplexes) frequently used for mRNA delivery. Last, we summarize preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated nonviral mRNA vaccines for the treatment of melanoma. In writing this review, we aim to highlight innovative nonviral strategies designed to address mRNA delivery challenges while emphasizing the exciting potential of mRNA vaccines as next-generation therapies for the treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bevin Neill
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Adriana Retamales Romero
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Owen S. Fenton
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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2
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Shajari N, Baradaran B, Tohidkia MR, Nasiri H, Sepehri M, Setayesh S, Aghebati-Maleki L. Advancements in Melanoma Therapies: From Surgery to Immunotherapy. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2024; 25:1073-1088. [PMID: 39066854 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-024-01239-8] [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] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT Melanoma is defined as the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. The treatment of melanoma depends on the disease stage, tumor location, and extent of its spread from its point of origin. Melanoma treatment has made significant advances, notably in the context of targeted and immunotherapies. Surgical resection is the main therapeutic option for earlystage melanoma, and it provides favourable outcomes. With disease metastasis, systemic treatments such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy become increasingly important. The identification of mutations that lead to melanoma has influenced treatment strategies. Targeted therapies focusing on these mutations offer improved response rates and fewer toxicities than conventional chemotherapy. Furthermore, developing immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies, has demonstrated encouraging outcomes in effectively combating cancer cells. These therapeutic agents demonstrate superior effectiveness and a more tolerable side-effect profile, improving the quality of life for patients receiving treatment. The future of melanoma treatment may involve a multimodal approach consisting of a combination of surgery, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy adapted to each patient's profile. This approach may improve survival rates and health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Shajari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Tohidkia
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hadi Nasiri
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Sepehri
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sepideh Setayesh
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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3
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Heras-Murillo I, Adán-Barrientos I, Galán M, Wculek SK, Sancho D. Dendritic cells as orchestrators of anticancer immunity and immunotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:257-277. [PMID: 38326563 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-024-00859-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous group of antigen-presenting innate immune cells that regulate adaptive immunity, including against cancer. Therefore, understanding the precise activities of DCs in tumours and patients with cancer is important. The classification of DC subsets has historically been based on ontogeny; however, single-cell analyses are now additionally revealing a diversity of functional states of DCs in cancer. DCs can promote the activation of potent antitumour T cells and immune responses via numerous mechanisms, although they can also be hijacked by tumour-mediated factors to contribute to immune tolerance and cancer progression. Consequently, DC activities are often key determinants of the efficacy of immunotherapies, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Potentiating the antitumour functions of DCs or using them as tools to orchestrate short-term and long-term anticancer immunity has immense but as-yet underexploited therapeutic potential. In this Review, we outline the nature and emerging complexity of DC states as well as their functions in regulating adaptive immunity across different cancer types. We also describe how DCs are required for the success of current immunotherapies and explore the inherent potential of targeting DCs for cancer therapy. We focus on novel insights on DCs derived from patients with different cancers, single-cell studies of DCs and their relevance to therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Heras-Murillo
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Adán-Barrientos
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Galán
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefanie K Wculek
- Innate Immune Biology Laboratory, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - David Sancho
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Elwakeel A, Bridgewater HE, Bennett J. Unlocking Dendritic Cell-Based Vaccine Efficacy through Genetic Modulation-How Soon Is Now? Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2118. [PMID: 38136940 PMCID: PMC10743214 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The dendritic cell (DC) vaccine anti-cancer strategy involves tumour-associated antigen loading and maturation of autologous ex vivo cultured DCs, followed by infusion into the cancer patient. This strategy stemmed from the idea that to induce a robust anti-tumour immune response, it was necessary to bypass the fundamental immunosuppressive mechanisms of the tumour microenvironment that dampen down endogenous innate immune cell activation and enable tumours to evade immune attack. Even though the feasibility and safety of DC vaccines have long been confirmed, clinical response rates remain disappointing. Hence, the full potential of DC vaccines has yet to be reached. Whether this cellular-based vaccination approach will fully realise its position in the immunotherapy arsenal is yet to be determined. Attempts to increase DC vaccine immunogenicity will depend on increasing our understanding of DC biology and the signalling pathways involved in antigen uptake, maturation, migration, and T lymphocyte priming to identify amenable molecular targets to improve DC vaccine performance. This review evaluates various genetic engineering strategies that have been employed to optimise and boost the efficacy of DC vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Elwakeel
- Centre for Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK; (A.E.); (H.E.B.)
| | - Hannah E. Bridgewater
- Centre for Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK; (A.E.); (H.E.B.)
| | - Jason Bennett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
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5
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Zhang SW, Wang H, Ding XH, Xiao YL, Shao ZM, You C, Gu YJ, Jiang YZ. Bidirectional crosstalk between therapeutic cancer vaccines and the tumor microenvironment: Beyond tumor antigens. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:1005-1024. [PMID: 38933006 PMCID: PMC11197801 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has rejuvenated cancer therapy, especially after anti-PD-(L)1 came onto the scene. Among the many therapeutic options, therapeutic cancer vaccines are one of the most essential players. Although great progress has been made in research on tumor antigen vaccines, few phase III trials have shown clinical benefits. One of the reasons lies in obstruction from the tumor microenvironment (TME). Meanwhile, the therapeutic cancer vaccine reshapes the TME in an ambivalent way, leading to immune stimulation or immune escape. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the interaction between therapeutic cancer vaccines and the TME. With respect to vaccine resistance, innate immunosuppressive TME components and acquired resistance caused by vaccination are both involved. Understanding the underlying mechanism of this crosstalk provides insight into the treatment of cancer by directly targeting the TME or synergizing with other therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Han Wang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Ding
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yu-Ling Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhi-Ming Shao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chao You
- Department of Radiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ya-Jia Gu
- Department of Radiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yi-Zhou Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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6
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Lee KW, Yam JWP, Mao X. Dendritic Cell Vaccines: A Shift from Conventional Approach to New Generations. Cells 2023; 12:2147. [PMID: 37681880 PMCID: PMC10486560 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In the emerging era of cancer immunotherapy, immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) and adoptive cell transfer therapies (ACTs) have gained significant attention. However, their therapeutic efficacies are limited due to the presence of cold type tumors, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and immune-related side effects. On the other hand, dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines have been suggested as a new cancer immunotherapy regimen that can address the limitations encountered by ICBs and ACTs. Despite the success of the first generation of DC-based vaccines, represented by the first FDA-approved DC-based therapeutic cancer vaccine Provenge, several challenges remain unsolved. Therefore, new DC vaccine strategies have been actively investigated. This review addresses the limitations of the currently most adopted classical DC vaccine and evaluates new generations of DC vaccines in detail, including biomaterial-based, immunogenic cell death-inducing, mRNA-pulsed, DC small extracellular vesicle (sEV)-based, and tumor sEV-based DC vaccines. These innovative DC vaccines are envisioned to provide a significant breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy landscape and are expected to be supported by further preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyu-Won Lee
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; (K.-W.L.); (J.W.P.Y.)
| | - Judy Wai Ping Yam
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; (K.-W.L.); (J.W.P.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaowen Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao
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7
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The Melanoma-Associated Antigen Family A (MAGE-A): A Promising Target for Cancer Immunotherapy? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061779. [PMID: 36980665 PMCID: PMC10046478 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Early efforts to identify tumor-associated antigens over the last decade have provided unique cancer epitopes for targeted cancer therapy. MAGE-A proteins are a subclass of cancer/testis (CT) antigens that are presented on the cell surface by MHC class I molecules as an immune-privileged site. This is due to their restricted expression to germline cells and a wide range of cancers, where they are associated with resistance to chemotherapy, metastasis, and cancer cells with an increasing potential for survival. This makes them an appealing candidate target for designing an effective and specific immunotherapy, thereby suggesting that targeting oncogenic MAGE-As with cancer vaccination, adoptive T-cell transfer, or a combination of therapies would be promising. In this review, we summarize and discuss previous and ongoing (pre-)clinical studies that target these antigens, while bearing in mind the benefits and drawbacks of various therapeutic strategies, in order to speculate on future directions for MAGE-A-specific immunotherapies.
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8
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Han S, Chi Y, Yang Z, Ma J, Wang L. Tumor Microenvironment Regulation and Cancer Targeting Therapy Based on Nanoparticles. J Funct Biomater 2023; 14:136. [PMID: 36976060 PMCID: PMC10053410 DOI: 10.3390/jfb14030136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Although we have made remarkable achievements in cancer awareness and medical technology, there are still tremendous increases in cancer incidence and mortality. However, most anti-tumor strategies, including immunotherapy, show low efficiency in clinical application. More and more evidence suggest that this low efficacy may be closely related to the immunosuppression of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME plays a significant role in tumorigenesis, development, and metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to regulate the TME during antitumor therapy. Several strategies are developing to regulate the TME as inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, reversing tumor associated macrophage (TAM) phenotype, removing T cell immunosuppression, and so on. Among them, nanotechnology shows great potential for delivering regulators into TME, which further enhance the antitumor therapy efficacy. Properly designed nanomaterials can carry regulators and/or therapeutic agents to eligible locations or cells to trigger specific immune response and further kill tumor cells. Specifically, the designed nanoparticles could not only directly reverse the primary TME immunosuppression, but also induce effective systemic immune response, which would prevent niche formation before metastasis and inhibit tumor recurrence. In this review, we summarized the development of nanoparticles (NPs) for anti-cancer therapy, TME regulation, and tumor metastasis inhibition. We also discussed the prospect and potential of nanocarriers for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulan Han
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yongjie Chi
- Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Juan Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Lianyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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9
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de Mey W, Locy H, De Ridder K, De Schrijver P, Autaers D, Lakdimi A, Esprit A, Franceschini L, Thielemans K, Verdonck M, Breckpot K. An mRNA mix redirects dendritic cells towards an antiviral program, inducing anticancer cytotoxic stem cell and central memory CD8 + T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1111523. [PMID: 36860873 PMCID: PMC9969480 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1111523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC)-maturation stimuli determine the potency of these antigen-presenting cells and, therefore, the quality of the T-cell response. Here we describe that the maturation of DCs via TriMix mRNA, encoding CD40 ligand, a constitutively active variant of toll-like receptor 4 and the co-stimulatory molecule CD70, enables an antibacterial transcriptional program. Besides, we further show that the DCs are redirected into an antiviral transcriptional program when CD70 mRNA in TriMix is replaced with mRNA encoding interferon-gamma and a decoy interleukin-10 receptor alpha, forming a four-component mixture referred to as TetraMix mRNA. The resulting TetraMixDCs show a high potential to induce tumor antigen-specific T cells within bulk CD8+ T cells. Tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) are emerging and attractive targets for cancer immunotherapy. As T-cell receptors recognizing TSAs are predominantly present on naive CD8+ T cells (TN), we further addressed the activation of tumor antigen-specific T cells when CD8+ TN cells are stimulated by TriMixDCs or TetraMixDCs. In both conditions, the stimulation resulted in a shift from CD8+ TN cells into tumor antigen-specific stem cell-like memory, effector memory and central memory T cells with cytotoxic capacity. These findings suggest that TetraMix mRNA, and the antiviral maturation program it induces in DCs, triggers an antitumor immune reaction in cancer patients.
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10
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Musa HH, Musa TH. A systematic and thematic analysis of the top 100 cited articles on mRNA vaccine indexed in Scopus database. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2135927. [PMID: 36328513 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2135927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 implies that this technology can be applied to target any pathogen. However, the scientific production and research trends using the bibliometric method are still unknown. The top 100 most cited articles on mRNA vaccine research were obtained from the Scopus database from 1995 to 2021. Bibliometrix, an R-Package, and VOSviewer 1.6.11 were used for data analysis. There is a rapid growth in scientific outputs with a gradual increase in 2021. The United States produced 45 (45%) of the articles, followed by Germany with 15 (15%) and Israel with 10 (10%). The New England Journal of Medicine published the most papers in this field 13 (13%), followed by Nature 6(6%). Barney S. Graham was the most productive author among the top 100 most cited mRNA vaccine articles. University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, US, was the top ranking institution, having 37 (37%). The visualization map clearly and spontaneously displayed the current state and research hot spots of mRNA research from a specific perspective. The most frequent keywords were COVID-19, vaccine, mRNA vaccine, mRNA, SARS-CoV-2, and immunogenicity, among others. A systematic review of the articles provided evidence that out of 100 articles, approximately 25 (25%) were focused on vaccine production and evaluation, followed by 26 (26%) in mRNA vaccine safety and efficacy, 23 (23%) were into mRNA vaccination, 23 (23%) considered risk factors associated with mRNA vaccination, while 8 (8%) of the articles covered the issue of mRNA vaccine delivery. In addition, 42% of the articles focused on COVID-19, 17% on cancer, 8% on influenza virus, 4% on COVID-19 and kidney disease, 3% COVID-19 and myocarditis, and 3% on rabies virus, among others. The findings of this systematic and thematic analysis provided the knowledge basis for further research on mRNA vaccines globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan H Musa
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Taha H Musa
- Biomedical Research Institute, Darfur University College, Nyala, Sudan.,Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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11
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Adoptive cell therapies in thoracic malignancies. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:2077-2098. [PMID: 35129636 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03142-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has gained great interest in thoracic malignancies in the last decade, first in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but also more recently in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, while 15-20% of patients will greatly benefit from immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs), a vast majority will rapidly exhibit resistance. Reasons for this are multiple: non-immunogenic tumors, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment or defects in immune cells trafficking to the tumor sites being some of the most frequent. Current progress in adoptive cell therapies could offer a way to overcome these hurdles and bring effective immune cells to the tumor site. In this review, we discuss advantages, limits and future perspectives of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) in thoracic malignancies from lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK), cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK), natural killer cells (NK), dendritic cells (DC) vaccines and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to TCR engineering and CARs. Trials are still in their early phases, and while there may still be many limitations to overcome, a combination of these different approaches with ICBs, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy could vastly improve the way we treat thoracic cancers.
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12
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Qureischi M, Mohr J, Arellano-Viera E, Knudsen SE, Vohidov F, Garitano-Trojaola A. mRNA-based therapies: Preclinical and clinical applications. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 372:1-54. [PMID: 36064262 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
At the fundamental level, messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutics involves the delivery of in vitro-transcribed (IVT) mRNA into the cytoplasm of a target cell, where it is translated into the desired protein. IVT mRNA presents various advantages compared to DNA and recombinant protein-based approaches that make it ideal for a broad range of therapeutic applications. IVT mRNA, which is translated in the cytoplasm after transfection into cells, can encode virtually any target protein. Notably, it does not enter the nucleus, which avoids its integration into the genome and the risk of insertional mutagenesis. The large-scale production of IVT mRNA is less complex than production of recombinant proteins, and Good Manufacturing Practice-compliant mRNA production is easily scalable, ideally poising mRNA for not only off-the-shelf, but more personalized treatment approaches. IVT mRNA's safety profile, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics, including its inherent immunostimulatory capacity, can be optimized for different therapeutic applications by harnessing a wide array of optimized sequence elements, chemical modifications, purification techniques, and delivery methods. The value of IVT mRNA was recently proved during the COVID-19 pandemic when mRNA-based vaccines outperformed the efficacy of established technologies, and millions of doses were rapidly deployed. In this review, we will discuss chemical modifications of IVT mRNA and highlight numerous preclinical and clinical applications including vaccines for cancer and infectious diseases, cancer immunotherapy, protein replacement, gene editing, and cell reprogramming.
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13
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Rezaei M, Danilova ND, Soltani M, Savvateeva LV, V Tarasov V, Ganjalikhani-Hakemi M, V Bazhinf A, A Zamyatnin A. Cancer Vaccine in Cold Tumors: Clinical Landscape, Challenges, and Opportunities. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:437-453. [PMID: 35156572 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220214103533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The idea of cancer immunotherapy is to stimulate the immune system to fight tumors without destroying normal cells. One of the anticancer therapy methods, among many, is based on the use of cancer vaccines that contain tumor antigens in order to induce immune responses against tumors. However, clinical trials have shown that the use of such vaccines as a monotherapy is ineffective in many cases, since they do not cause a strong immune response. Particular tumors are resistant to immunotherapy due to the absence or insufficient infiltration of tumors with CD8+ T cells, and hence, they are called cold or non-inflamed tumors. Cold tumors are characterized by a lack of CD8+ T cell infiltration, the presence of anti-inflammatory myeloid cells, tumor-associated M2 macrophages, and regulatory T cells. It is very important to understand which stage of the antitumor response does not work properly in order to use the right strategy for the treatment of patients. Applying other therapeutic methods alongside cancer vaccines can be more rational for cold tumors which do not provoke the immune system strongly. Herein, we indicate some combinational therapies that have been used or are in progress for cold tumor treatment alongside vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnaz Rezaei
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | | | - Mozhdeh Soltani
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Lyudmila V Savvateeva
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim V Tarasov
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mazdak Ganjalikhani-Hakemi
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Alexandr V Bazhinf
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrey A Zamyatnin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK
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14
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Volovat SR, Ursulescu CL, Moisii LG, Volovat C, Boboc D, Scripcariu D, Amurariti F, Stefanescu C, Stolniceanu CR, Agop M, Lungulescu C, Volovat CC. The Landscape of Nanovectors for Modulation in Cancer Immunotherapy. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:397. [PMID: 35214129 PMCID: PMC8875018 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy represents a promising strategy for the treatment of cancer, which functions via the reprogramming and activation of antitumor immunity. However, adverse events resulting from immunotherapy that are related to the low specificity of tumor cell-targeting represent a limitation of immunotherapy's efficacy. The potential of nanotechnologies is represented by the possibilities of immunotherapeutical agents being carried by nanoparticles with various material types, shapes, sizes, coated ligands, associated loading methods, hydrophilicities, elasticities, and biocompatibilities. In this review, the principal types of nanovectors (nanopharmaceutics and bioinspired nanoparticles) are summarized along with the shortcomings in nanoparticle delivery and the main factors that modulate efficacy (the EPR effect, protein coronas, and microbiota). The mechanisms by which nanovectors can target cancer cells, the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and the peripheral immune system are also presented. A possible mathematical model for the cellular communication mechanisms related to exosomes as nanocarriers is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona-Ruxandra Volovat
- Department of Medical Oncology-Radiotherapy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (S.-R.V.); (D.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Corina Lupascu Ursulescu
- Department of Radiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (C.L.U.); (L.G.M.); (C.C.V.)
| | - Liliana Gheorghe Moisii
- Department of Radiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (C.L.U.); (L.G.M.); (C.C.V.)
| | - Constantin Volovat
- Department of Medical Oncology-Radiotherapy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (S.-R.V.); (D.B.); (F.A.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, “Euroclinic” Center of Oncology, 2 Vasile Conta Str., 700106 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Diana Boboc
- Department of Medical Oncology-Radiotherapy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (S.-R.V.); (D.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Dragos Scripcariu
- Department of Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Florin Amurariti
- Department of Medical Oncology-Radiotherapy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (S.-R.V.); (D.B.); (F.A.)
| | - Cipriana Stefanescu
- Department of Biophysics and Medical Physics-Nuclear Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (C.S.); (C.R.S.)
| | - Cati Raluca Stolniceanu
- Department of Biophysics and Medical Physics-Nuclear Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (C.S.); (C.R.S.)
| | - Maricel Agop
- Physics Department, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University, Prof. Dr. Docent Dimitrie Mangeron Rd., No. 59A, 700050 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Cristian Lungulescu
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 200349 Craiova, Romania;
| | - Cristian Constantin Volovat
- Department of Radiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 University Str., 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (C.L.U.); (L.G.M.); (C.C.V.)
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15
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Lu Y, Wu C, Yang Y, Chen X, Ge F, Wang J, Deng J. Inhibition of tumor recurrence and metastasis via a surgical tumor-derived personalized hydrogel vaccine. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:1352-1363. [PMID: 35112690 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01596f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Tumor recurrence and metastasis have become thorny problems in clinical tumor therapy. Vaccine-mediated antitumor immune response has emerged as a significant postoperative inhibition for tumor recurrence and metastasis. However, limited tumor antigens are not conducive to trigger complete antigen-specific T cell-mediated immune responses. Herein, the design of a hydrogel vaccine system containing a granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), based on surgically removed tumor cell lysates, was reported. The hydrogel was formed by crosslinking tumor cell lysates and alginate at low temperatures. The GM-CSF was released from the hydrogel to recruit dendritic cells (DCs), which provided a completely personalized tumor antigen pool. They were combined to foster the production of powerful antigen-specific T cells. The personalized hydrogel was implanted at the surgical site and it stimulated the antitumor immune response for the inhibition of residual tumor cells. Delightfully, the personalized hydrogel inhibited the tumor recurrence and metastasis well in a post-surgical mice tumor model, in combination with a programmed death-ligand 1 antibody (αPD-L1). The results demonstrated that the development of a personalized hydrogel and a combination of αPD-L1 provided a new strategy to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lu
- Nanshan School, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510810, China
| | - Chenghu Wu
- Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China. .,Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China.,Oujiang Laboratory, (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Yanyan Yang
- Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China.
| | - Xiangzhong Chen
- Multi-Scale Robotics Lab (MSRL), Institute of Robotics and Intelligent System (IRIS) Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, CLA H11.1, ETH-Zentrum, Tannenstrasse 3, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Feihang Ge
- Hangzhou Chinese Academy of Sciences-Hangzhou Medical College Advanced Medical Technology Institute, Hangzhou 320000, China
| | - Jilong Wang
- Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China. .,Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China.,Oujiang Laboratory, (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Junjie Deng
- Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China. .,Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China.,Oujiang Laboratory, (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
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16
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Karami Fath M, Azargoonjahromi A, Jafari N, Mehdi M, Alavi F, Daraei M, Mohammadkhani N, Mueller AL, Brockmueller A, Shakibaei M, Payandeh Z. Exosome application in tumorigenesis: diagnosis and treatment of melanoma. Med Oncol 2022; 39:19. [PMID: 34982284 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-021-01621-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive of skin cancer derived from genetic mutations in the melanocytes. Current therapeutic approaches include surgical resection, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, biochemotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, the efficiency of these strategies may be decreased due to the development of diverse resistance mechanisms. Here, it has been proven that therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can improve the efficiency of melanoma therapies and also, cancer vaccines are another approach for the treatment of melanoma that has already improved clinical outcomes in these patients. The use of antibodies and gene vaccines provides a new perspective in melanoma treatment. Since the tumor microenvironment is another important factor for cancer progression and metastasis, in recent times, a mechanism has been identified to provide an opportunity for melanoma cells to communicate with remote cells. This mechanism is involved by a novel molecular structure, named extracellular vesicles (EVs). Depending on the functional status of origin cells, exosomes contain various cargos and different compositions. In this review, we presented recent progress of exosome applications in the treatment of melanoma. Different aspects of exosome therapy and ongoing efforts in this field will be discussed too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Karami Fath
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Azargoonjahromi
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Nafiseh Jafari
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Mehdi
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Fatemeh Alavi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Specialized Veterinary Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mona Daraei
- Pharmacy School, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Niloufar Mohammadkhani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 1985717443, Tehran, Iran
| | - Anna-Lena Mueller
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Aranka Brockmueller
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Mehdi Shakibaei
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany.
| | - Zahra Payandeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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17
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Kwiecień I, Rutkowska E, Raniszewska A, Rzepecki P, Domagała-Kulawik J. Modulation of the immune response by heterogeneous monocytes and dendritic cells in lung cancer. World J Clin Oncol 2021; 12:966-982. [PMID: 34909393 PMCID: PMC8641004 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v12.i11.966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Different subpopulations of monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs) may have a key impact on the modulation of the immune response in malignancy. In this review, we summarize the monocyte and DCs heterogeneity and their function in the context of modulating the immune response in cancer. Subgroups of monocytes may play opposing roles in cancer, depending on the tumour growth and progression as well as the type of cancer. Monocytes can have pro-tumour and anti-tumour functions and can also differentiate into monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs). MoDCs have a similar antigen presentation ability as classical DCs, including cross-priming, a process by which DCs activate CD8 T-cells by cross-presenting exogenous antigens. DCs play a critical role in generating anti-tumour CD8 T-cell immunity. DCs have plastic characteristics and show distinct phenotypes depending on their mature state and depending on the influence of the tumour microenvironment. MoDCs and other DC subsets have been attracting increased interest owing to their possible beneficial effects in cancer immunotherapy. This review also highlights key strategies deploying specific DC subpopulations in combination with other therapies to enhance the anti-tumour response and summarizes the latest ongoing and completed clinical trials using DCs in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Kwiecień
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw 04-141, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Rutkowska
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw 04-141, Poland
| | - Agata Raniszewska
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Laboratory of Hematology and Flow Cytometry, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw 04-141, Poland
| | - Piotr Rzepecki
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw 04-141, Poland
| | - Joanna Domagała-Kulawik
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Allergy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-091, Poland
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18
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Nava S, Lisini D, Frigerio S, Bersano A. Dendritic Cells and Cancer Immunotherapy: The Adjuvant Effect. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212339. [PMID: 34830221 PMCID: PMC8620771 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are immune specialized cells playing a critical role in promoting immune response against antigens, and may represent important targets for therapeutic interventions in cancer. DCs can be stimulated ex vivo with pro-inflammatory molecules and loaded with tumor-specific antigen(s). Protocols describing the specific details of DCs vaccination manufacturing vary widely, but regardless of the employed protocol, the DCs vaccination safety and its ability to induce antitumor responses is clearly established. Many years of studies have focused on the ability of DCs to provide overall survival benefits at least for a selection of cancer patients. Lessons learned from early trials lead to the hypothesis that, to improve the efficacy of DCs-based immunotherapy, this should be combined with other treatments. Thus, the vaccine’s ultimate role may lie in the combinatorial approaches of DCs-based immunotherapy with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, more than in monotherapy. In this review, we address some key questions regarding the integration of DCs vaccination with multimodality therapy approaches for cancer treatment paradigms.
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19
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Bidram M, Zhao Y, Shebardina NG, Baldin AV, Bazhin AV, Ganjalikhany MR, Zamyatnin AA, Ganjalikhani-hakemi M. mRNA-Based Cancer Vaccines: A Therapeutic Strategy for the Treatment of Melanoma Patients. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:1060. [PMID: 34696168 PMCID: PMC8540049 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and the leading cause of death from skin tumors. Given the increased incidence of melanoma diagnoses in recent years, it is essential to develop effective treatments to control this disease. In this regard, the use of cancer vaccines to enhance cell-mediated immunity is considered to be one of the most modern immunotherapy options for cancer treatment. The most recent cancer vaccine options are mRNA vaccines, with a focus on their usage as modern treatments. Advantages of mRNA cancer vaccines include their rapid production and low manufacturing costs. mRNA-based vaccines are also able to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses. In addition to the many advantages of mRNA vaccines for the treatment of cancer, their use is associated with a number of challenges. For this reason, before mRNA vaccines can be used for the treatment of cancer, comprehensive information about them is required and a large number of trials need to be conducted. Here, we reviewed the general features of mRNA vaccines, including their basis, stabilization, and delivery methods. We also covered clinical trials involving the use of mRNA vaccines in melanoma cancer and the challenges involved with this type of treatment. This review also emphasized the combination of treatment with mRNA vaccines with the use of immune-checkpoint blockers to enhance cell-mediated immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Bidram
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran; (M.B.); (M.R.G.)
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (Y.Z.); (A.V.B.)
| | - Natalia G. Shebardina
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Alexey V. Baldin
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia;
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr V. Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (Y.Z.); (A.V.B.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Mohamad Reza Ganjalikhany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran; (M.B.); (M.R.G.)
| | - Andrey A. Zamyatnin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia;
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7X, UK
| | - Mazdak Ganjalikhani-hakemi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran
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20
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Ebrahimi N, Akbari M, Ghanaatian M, Roozbahani Moghaddam P, Adelian S, Borjian Boroujeni M, Yazdani E, Ahmadi A, Hamblin MR. Development of neoantigens: from identification in cancer cells to application in cancer vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 21:941-955. [PMID: 34196590 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1951246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The discovery of neoantigens as mutated proteins specifically expressed in tumor cells but not in normal cells has led to improved cancer vaccines. Targeting neoantigens can induce anti-tumor T-cell responses to destroy tumors without damaging healthy cells. Extensive advances in genome sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis have made it possible to discover and design effective neoantigens for use in therapeutic cancer vaccines. Neoantigens-based therapeutic personalized vaccines have shown promising results in cancer immunotherapy.Areas covered: We discuss the types of cancer neoantigens that can be recognized by the immune system in this review. We also summarize the detection, identification, and design of neoantigens and their appliction in developing cancer vaccines. Finally, clinical trials of neoantigen-based vaccines, their advantages, and their limitations are reviewed. From 2015 to 2020, the authors conducted a literature search of controlled randomized trials and laboratory investigations that that focused on neoantigens, their use in the design of various types of cancer vaccines.Expert opinion: Neoantigens are cancer cell-specific antigens, which their expression leads to the immune stimulation against tumor cells. The identification and delivery of specific neoantigens to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with the help of anti-cancer vaccines promise novel and more effective cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Ebrahimi
- Division of Genetics, Department Cell, and Molecular Biology & Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Akbari
- Department of Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Ghanaatian
- Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University of Jahrom, Fars, Iran
| | | | - Samaneh Adelian
- Department of Genetics, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | | | - Elnaz Yazdani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Ahmadi
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Nano and Bio Science and Technology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa
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21
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Ram Kumar PS, Rencilin CF, Sundar K. Emerging nanomaterials for cancer immunotherapy. EXPLORATION OF MEDICINE 2021. [DOI: 10.37349/emed.2021.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a unique approach to treat cancer that targets tumours besides triggering the immune cells. It attempts to harness the supremacy and specificity of immune cells for the regression of malignancy. The key strategy of immunotherapy is that it boosts the natural defence and manipulates the immune system at both cellular and molecular levels. Long-lasting anti-tumour response, reduced metastasis, and recurrence can be achieved with immunotherapy than conventional treatments. For example, targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4) by monoclonal antibody is reported as an effective strategy against cancer progression in vivo and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified T-cells are known to express a stronger anti-tumour activity. CTLA4 and CAR are, therefore, beneficial in cancer immunotherapy; however, in clinical settings, both are expensive and cause adverse side effects. Nanomaterials have augmented advantages in cancer immunotherapy, besides their utility in effective delivery and diagnostics. In particular, materials based on lipids, polymers, and metals have been sought-after for delivery technologies. Moreover, the surface of nanomaterials can be engineered using ligands, antigens, and antibodies to target immune cells. In this sense, checkpoint inhibitors, cytokines, agonistic antibodies, surface receptors, and engineered T-cells are promising to regulate the immune system against tumours. Therefore, emerging nanomaterials that can be used for the treatment of cancer is the prime focus of this review. The correlation of mode of administration and biodistribution of various nanomaterials is reviewed here. Besides, the acute and chronic side effects and outcome of clinical trials in the context of cancer immunotherapy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pandian Sureshbabu Ram Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil 626126, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Clayton Fernando Rencilin
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil 626126, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Krishnan Sundar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil 626126, Tamil Nadu, India
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22
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Salah A, Wang H, Li Y, Ji M, Ou WB, Qi N, Wu Y. Insights Into Dendritic Cells in Cancer Immunotherapy: From Bench to Clinical Applications. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:686544. [PMID: 34262904 PMCID: PMC8273339 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.686544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are efficient antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and potent activators of naïve T cells. Therefore, they act as a connective ring between innate and adaptive immunity. DC subsets are heterogeneous in their ontogeny and functions. They have proven to potentially take up and process tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). In this regard, researchers have developed strategies such as genetically engineered or TAA-pulsed DC vaccines; these manipulated DCs have shown significant outcomes in clinical and preclinical models. Here, we review DC classification and address how DCs are skewed into an immunosuppressive phenotype in cancer patients. Additionally, we present the advancements in DCs as a platform for cancer immunotherapy, emphasizing the technologies used for in vivo targeting of endogenous DCs, ex vivo generated vaccines from peripheral blood monocytes, and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived DCs (iPSC-DCs) to boost antitumoral immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Salah
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China.,Hangzhou Biaomo Biosciences Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China.,Asia Stem Cell Therapies Co., Limited, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqin Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Ji
- Hangzhou Biaomo Biosciences Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Bin Ou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nianmin Qi
- Hangzhou Biaomo Biosciences Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China.,Asia Stem Cell Therapies Co., Limited, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuehong Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
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23
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Tay BQ, Wright Q, Ladwa R, Perry C, Leggatt G, Simpson F, Wells JW, Panizza BJ, Frazer IH, Cruz JLG. Evolution of Cancer Vaccines-Challenges, Achievements, and Future Directions. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9050535. [PMID: 34065557 PMCID: PMC8160852 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9050535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of cancer vaccines has been intensively pursued over the past 50 years with modest success. However, recent advancements in the fields of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and immunology have renewed interest in these immunotherapies and allowed the development of promising cancer vaccine candidates. Numerous clinical trials testing the response evoked by tumour antigens, differing in origin and nature, have shed light on the desirable target characteristics capable of inducing strong tumour-specific non-toxic responses with increased potential to bring clinical benefit to patients. Novel delivery methods, ranging from a patient’s autologous dendritic cells to liposome nanoparticles, have exponentially increased the abundance and exposure of the antigenic payloads. Furthermore, growing knowledge of the mechanisms by which tumours evade the immune response has led to new approaches to reverse these roadblocks and to re-invigorate previously suppressed anti-tumour surveillance. The use of new drugs in combination with antigen-based therapies is highly targeted and may represent the future of cancer vaccines. In this review, we address the main antigens and delivery methods used to develop cancer vaccines, their clinical outcomes, and the new directions that the vaccine immunotherapy field is taking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ban Qi Tay
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
| | - Quentin Wright
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
| | - Rahul Ladwa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia;
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; (C.P.); (B.J.P.)
| | - Christopher Perry
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; (C.P.); (B.J.P.)
- Department of Otolaryngology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Graham Leggatt
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
| | - Fiona Simpson
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
| | - James W. Wells
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
| | - Benedict J. Panizza
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; (C.P.); (B.J.P.)
- Department of Otolaryngology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Ian H. Frazer
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
| | - Jazmina L. G. Cruz
- Faculty of Medicine, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; (B.Q.T.); (Q.W.); (G.L.); (F.S.); (J.W.W.); (I.H.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-0478912737
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Beck JD, Reidenbach D, Salomon N, Sahin U, Türeci Ö, Vormehr M, Kranz LM. mRNA therapeutics in cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:69. [PMID: 33858437 PMCID: PMC8047518 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01348-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic mRNA provides a template for the synthesis of any given protein, protein fragment or peptide and lends itself to a broad range of pharmaceutical applications, including different modalities of cancer immunotherapy. With the ease of rapid, large scale Good Manufacturing Practice-grade mRNA production, mRNA is ideally poised not only for off-the shelf cancer vaccines but also for personalized neoantigen vaccination. The ability to stimulate pattern recognition receptors and thus an anti-viral type of innate immune response equips mRNA-based vaccines with inherent adjuvanticity. Nucleoside modification and elimination of double-stranded RNA can reduce the immunomodulatory activity of mRNA and increase and prolong protein production. In combination with nanoparticle-based formulations that increase transfection efficiency and facilitate lymphatic system targeting, nucleoside-modified mRNA enables efficient delivery of cytokines, costimulatory receptors, or therapeutic antibodies. Steady but transient production of the encoded bioactive molecule from the mRNA template can improve the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety properties as compared to the respective recombinant proteins. This may be harnessed for applications that benefit from a higher level of expression control, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified adoptive T-cell therapies. This review highlights the advancements in the field of mRNA-based cancer therapeutics, providing insights into key preclinical developments and the evolving clinical landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan D Beck
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniel Reidenbach
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University gGmbH, Freiligrathstraße 12, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nadja Salomon
- TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University gGmbH, Freiligrathstraße 12, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ugur Sahin
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Özlem Türeci
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Lena M Kranz
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
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Heine A, Juranek S, Brossart P. Clinical and immunological effects of mRNA vaccines in malignant diseases. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:52. [PMID: 33722265 PMCID: PMC7957288 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01339-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro-transcribed messenger RNA-based therapeutics represent a relatively novel and highly efficient class of drugs. Several recently published studies emphasize the potential efficacy of mRNA vaccines in treating different types of malignant and infectious diseases where conventional vaccine strategies and platforms fail to elicit protective immune responses. mRNA vaccines have lately raised high interest as potent vaccines against SARS-CoV2. Direct application of mRNA or its electroporation into dendritic cells was shown to induce polyclonal CD4+ and CD8+ mediated antigen-specific T cell responses as well as the production of protective antibodies with the ability to eliminate transformed or infected cells. More importantly, the vaccine composition may include two or more mRNAs coding for different proteins or long peptides. This enables the induction of polyclonal immune responses against a broad variety of epitopes within the encoded antigens that are presented on various MHC complexes, thus avoiding the restriction to a certain HLA molecule or possible immune escape due to antigen-loss. The development and design of mRNA therapies was recently boosted by several critical innovations including the development of technologies for the production and delivery of high quality and stable mRNA. Several technical obstacles such as stability, delivery and immunogenicity were addressed in the past and gradually solved in the recent years.This review will summarize the most recent technological developments and application of mRNA vaccines in clinical trials and discusses the results, challenges and future directions with a special focus on the induced innate and adaptive immune responses.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/genetics
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Gene Transfer Techniques
- Humans
- Immunity
- Immunotherapy
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/pathology
- Neoplasms/etiology
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- RNA Stability
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/immunology
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Annkristin Heine
- Medical Clinic III for Oncology, Hematology, Immune-Oncology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Juranek
- Medical Clinic III for Oncology, Hematology, Immune-Oncology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Peter Brossart
- Medical Clinic III for Oncology, Hematology, Immune-Oncology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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Rahman MM, Zhou N, Huang J. An Overview on the Development of mRNA-Based Vaccines and Their Formulation Strategies for Improved Antigen Expression In Vivo. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:244. [PMID: 33799516 PMCID: PMC8001631 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The mRNA-based vaccine approach is a promising alternative to traditional vaccines due to its ability for prompt development, high potency, and potential for secure administration and low-cost production. Nonetheless, the application has still been limited by the instability as well as the ineffective delivery of mRNA in vivo. Current technological improvements have now mostly overcome these concerns, and manifold mRNA vaccine plans against various forms of malignancies and infectious ailments have reported inspiring outcomes in both humans and animal models. This article summarizes recent mRNA-based vaccine developments, advances of in vivo mRNA deliveries, reflects challenges and safety concerns, and future perspectives, in developing the mRNA vaccine platform for extensive therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Motiar Rahman
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen 518055, China; (N.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Nan Zhou
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen 518055, China; (N.Z.); (J.H.)
| | - Jiandong Huang
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen 518055, China; (N.Z.); (J.H.)
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
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Van Hoecke L, Verbeke R, Dewitte H, Lentacker I, Vermaelen K, Breckpot K, Van Lint S. mRNA in cancer immunotherapy: beyond a source of antigen. Mol Cancer 2021; 20:48. [PMID: 33658037 PMCID: PMC7926200 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01329-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
mRNA therapeutics have become the focus of molecular medicine research. Various mRNA applications have reached major milestones at high speed in the immuno-oncology field. This can be attributed to the knowledge that mRNA is one of nature's core building blocks carrying important information and can be considered as a powerful vector for delivery of therapeutic proteins to the patient.For a long time, the major focus in the use of in vitro transcribed mRNA was on development of cancer vaccines, using mRNA encoding tumor antigens to modify dendritic cells ex vivo. However, the versatility of mRNA and its many advantages have paved the path beyond this application. In addition, due to smart design of both the structural properties of the mRNA molecule as well as pharmaceutical formulations that improve its in vivo stability and selective targeting, the therapeutic potential of mRNA can be considered as endless.As a consequence, many novel immunotherapeutic strategies focus on the use of mRNA beyond its use as the source of tumor antigens. This review aims to summarize the state-of-the-art on these applications and to provide a rationale for their clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Van Hoecke
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rein Verbeke
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Lab for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Heleen Dewitte
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Lab for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Lab for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karim Vermaelen
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Immuno-Oncology Network Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10 MRB2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103 Building E, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sandra Van Lint
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Immuno-Oncology Network Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10 MRB2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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De Lombaerde E, De Wever O, De Geest BG. Delivery routes matter: Safety and efficacy of intratumoral immunotherapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1875:188526. [PMID: 33617921 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Many anticancer immunotherapeutic agents, including the monoclonal immune checkpoint blocking antibodies, toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, cytokines and immunostimulatory mRNA are commonly administrated by the intravenous route. Unfortunately, this route is prone to inducing, often life-threatening, side effects through accumulation of these immunotherapeutic agents at off-target tissues. Moreover, additional biological barriers need to be overcome before reaching the tumor microenvironment. By contrast, direct intratumoral injection allows for accomplishing local immune activation and multiple (pre)clinical studies have demonstrated decreased systemic toxicity, improved efficacy as well as abscopal effects. The approval of the oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) as first approved intratumoral oncolytic virotherapy has fueled the interest to study intensively other immunotherapeutic approaches in preclinical models as well as in clinical context. Moreover, it has been shown that intratumoral administration of immunostimulatory agents successfully synergizes with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Here we review the current state of the art in (pre)clinical intratumoral immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily De Lombaerde
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Olivier De Wever
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bruno G De Geest
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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Abstract
The first proof-of-concept studies about the feasibility of genetic vaccines were published over three decades ago, opening the way for future development. The idea of nonviral antigen delivery had multiple advantages over the traditional live or inactivated pathogen-based vaccines, but a great deal of effort had to be invested to turn the idea of genetic vaccination into reality. Although early proof-of-concept studies were groundbreaking, they also showed that numerous aspects of genetic vaccines needed to be improved. Until the early 2000s, the vast majority of effort was invested into the development of DNA vaccines due to the potential issues of instability and low in vivo translatability of messenger RNA (mRNA). In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated the outstanding abilities of mRNA to elicit potent immune responses against infectious pathogens and different types of cancer, making it a viable platform for vaccine development. Multiple mRNA vaccine platforms have been developed and evaluated in small and large animals and humans and the results seem to be promising. RNA-based vaccines have important advantages over other vaccine approaches including outstanding efficacy, safety, and the potential for rapid, inexpensive, and scalable production. There is a substantial investment by new mRNA companies into the development of mRNA therapeutics, particularly vaccines, increasing the number of basic and translational research publications and human clinical trials underway. This review gives a broad overview about genetic vaccines and mainly focuses on the past and present of mRNA vaccines along with the future directions to bring this potent vaccine platform closer to therapeutic use.
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Das B, Senapati S. Immunological and functional aspects of MAGEA3 cancer/testis antigen. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2020; 125:121-147. [PMID: 33931137 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Identification of ectopic gene activation in cancer cells serves as a basis for both gene signature-guided tumor targeting and unearthing of oncogenic mechanisms to expand the understanding of tumor biology/oncogenic process. Proteins expressed only in germ cells of testis and/or placenta (immunoprivileged organs) and in malignancies are called cancer testis antigens; they are antigenic because of the lack of antigen presentation by those specific cell types (germ cells), which limits the exposure of the proteins to the immune cells. Since the Cancer Testis Antigens (CTAs) are immunogenic and expressed in a wide variety of cancer types, CT antigens have become interesting target for immunotherapy against cancer. Among CT antigens MAGEA family is reported to have 12 members (MAGEA1 to MAGEA12). The current review highlights the studies on MAGEA3 which is a CT antigen and reported in almost all types of cancer. MAGEA3 is well tried for cancer immunotherapy. Recent advances on its functional and immunological aspect warranted much deliberation on effective therapeutic approach, thus making it a more interesting target for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Das
- Tumor Microenvironment and Animal Models Lab, Department of Cancer Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Shantibhusan Senapati
- Tumor Microenvironment and Animal Models Lab, Department of Cancer Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
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31
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Dendritic cell therapy in cancer treatment; the state-of-the-art. Life Sci 2020; 254:117580. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Advances in Anti-Cancer Immunotherapy: Car-T Cell, Checkpoint Inhibitors, Dendritic Cell Vaccines, and Oncolytic Viruses, and Emerging Cellular and Molecular Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071826. [PMID: 32645977 PMCID: PMC7408985 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike traditional cancer therapies, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy that are typically non-specific, cancer immunotherapy harnesses the high specificity of a patient’s own immune system to selectively kill cancer cells. The immune system is the body’s main cancer surveillance system, but cancers may evade destruction thanks to various immune-suppressing mechanisms. We therefore need to deploy various immunotherapy-based strategies to help bolster the anti-tumour immune responses. These include engineering T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to specifically recognise tumour neoantigens, inactivating immune checkpoints, oncolytic viruses and dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, which have all shown clinical benefit in certain cancers. However, treatment efficacy remains poor due to drug-induced adverse events and immunosuppressive tendencies of the tumour microenvironment. Recent preclinical studies have unveiled novel therapies such as anti-cathepsin antibodies, galectin-1 blockade and anti-OX40 agonistic antibodies, which may be utilised as adjuvant therapies to modulate the tumour microenvironment and permit more ferocious anti-tumour immune response.
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Jansen Y, Kruse V, Corthals J, Schats K, van Dam PJ, Seremet T, Heirman C, Brochez L, Kockx M, Thielemans K, Neyns B. A randomized controlled phase II clinical trial on mRNA electroporated autologous monocyte-derived dendritic cells (TriMixDC-MEL) as adjuvant treatment for stage III/IV melanoma patients who are disease-free following the resection of macrometastases. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2020; 69:2589-2598. [PMID: 32591862 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-020-02618-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autologous monocyte-derived mRNA co-electroporated dendritic cells with mRNA encoding CD40 ligand (CD40L), CD70 and a constitutively activated TLR4 (caTLR4) (referred to as TriMixDC-MEL) have anti-tumor activity in advanced melanoma patients. We investigated the safety and activity of adjuvant TriMixDC-MEL in stage III/IV melanoma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-one patients were randomly assigned to treatment with TriMixDC-MEL (n = 21) and standard follow-up (n = 20). "Cross-over" was allowed at the time of non-salvageable recurrence. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients alive and disease-free at 1-year. For a subset of patients, (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded), tumor tissue samples were available for mRNA expression profiling and PD-L1 immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were well balanced. One-year after randomization, 71% of patients in the study arm were alive and free of disease compared to 35% in the control arm. After a median follow-up of 53 months (range 3-67), 23 patients experienced a non-salvageable melanoma recurrence (TriMixDC-Mel arm n = 9 and control arm n = 14).The median time to non-salvageable recurrence was superior in the TriMixDC-MEL arm (median 8 months (range 1-6) vs. not reached; log-rank p 0.044). TriMixDC-MEL-related adverse events (AE) consisted of transient local skin reactions, flu-like symptoms and post-infusion chills. No grade ≥ 3 AE's occurred. The mRNA expression profiling revealed four genes (STAT2, TPSAB1, CD9 and CSF2) as potential predictive biomarkers. CONCLUSION TriMixDC-MEL id/iv as adjuvant therapy is tolerable and may improve the 1-year disease-free survival rate. Combination of optimized autologous monocyte-derived DC-formulations warrants further investigation in combination with currently approved adjuvant therapy options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanina Jansen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Vibeke Kruse
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent (UZ Gent), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jurgen Corthals
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy and Dendritic Cell-bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Teofila Seremet
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carlo Heirman
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy and Dendritic Cell-bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lieve Brochez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent (UZ Gent), Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Kris Thielemans
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy and Dendritic Cell-bank, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bart Neyns
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
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Roy S, Sethi TK, Taylor D, Kim YJ, Johnson DB. Breakthrough concepts in immune-oncology: Cancer vaccines at the bedside. J Leukoc Biol 2020; 108:1455-1489. [PMID: 32557857 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.5bt0420-585rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical approval of the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) agents for multiple cancer types has reinvigorated the long-standing work on cancer vaccines. In the pre-ICB era, clinical efforts focused on the Ag, the adjuvants, the formulation, and the mode of delivery. These translational efforts on therapeutic vaccines range from cell-based (e.g., dendritic cells vaccine Sipuleucel-T) to DNA/RNA-based platforms with various formulations (liposome), vectors (Listeria monocytogenes), or modes of delivery (intratumoral, gene gun, etc.). Despite promising preclinical results, cancer vaccine trials without ICB have historically shown little clinical activity. With the anticipation and expansion of combinatorial immunotherapeutic trials with ICB, the cancer vaccine field has entered the personalized medicine arena with recent advances in immunogenic neoantigen-based vaccines. In this article, we review the literature to organize the different cancer vaccines in the clinical space, and we will discuss their advantages, limits, and recent progress to overcome their challenges. Furthermore, we will also discuss recent preclinical advances and clinical strategies to combine vaccines with checkpoint blockade to improve therapeutic outcome and present a translational perspective on future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohini Roy
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tarsheen K Sethi
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - David Taylor
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Young J Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Douglas B Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Dhaliwal HK, Fan Y, Kim J, Amiji MM. Intranasal Delivery and Transfection of mRNA Therapeutics in the Brain Using Cationic Liposomes. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:1996-2005. [PMID: 32365295 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapeutics, including the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) as a drug molecule, has tremendous potential in the treatment of chronic diseases, such as age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we have developed a cationic liposomal formulation of mRNA and evaluated the potential of intranasal delivery to the brain in murine model. Preliminary in vitro studies in J774A.1 murine macrophages showed GFP expression up to 24 h and stably expressed GFP protein in the cytosol. Upon intranasal administration of GFP-mRNA/cationic liposomes (3 mg/kg dose) in mice, there was significantly higher GFP-mRNA expression in the brain post 24 h as compared to either naked mRNA or the vehicle-treated group. Luciferase mRNA encapsulated in cationic liposomes was used for quantification of mRNA expression distribution in the brain. The results showed increased luciferase activity in the whole brain in a dose-dependent manner. Specifically, the luciferase-mRNA/cationic liposome group (3 mg/kg dose) showed significantly higher luciferase activity in the cortex, striatum, and midbrain regions as compared with the control groups, with minimal systemic exposure. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of brain-specific, nonviral mRNA delivery for the treatment of various neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harkiranpreet Kaur Dhaliwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yingfang Fan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jonghan Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Mansoor M Amiji
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Abstract
Melanoma is a life-threatening disease caused by mutations in pigment-producing cells. Numerous treatments for melanoma have been approved in the past several decades; however, they often cause severe side effects and in most cases do not result in a complete cure. mRNA (messenger RNA) as a therapeutic agent provides a new avenue for melanoma treatment and several advantages over conventional treatments. The first mRNA drugs for melanoma treatment are currently in clinical trials, and approval of mRNA drugs by the Food and Drug Administration seems to be within reach. This new class of drugs can be readily adapted to other diseases, raising the hope of providing a new therapeutic option for various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa van Dülmen
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Straße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea Rentmeister
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Straße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany.,Cells in Motion Interfaculty Center, Waldeyerstraße 15, 48149 Münster, Germany
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37
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Zhang H, Wang Y, Wang QT, Sun SN, Li SY, Shang H, He YW. Enhanced Human T Lymphocyte Antigen Priming by Cytokine-Matured Dendritic Cells Overexpressing Bcl-2 and IL-12. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:205. [PMID: 32292785 PMCID: PMC7118208 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccination is a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for cancer. However, clinical trials have shown only limited efficacy, suggesting the need to optimize protocols for human DC vaccine preparation. In this study, we systemically compared five different human DC vaccine maturation protocols used in clinical trials: (1) a four-cytokine cocktail (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2); (2) an α-DC-cytokine cocktail (TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-α, IFN-γ, and poly I:C); (3) lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/IFN-γ; (4) TNF-α and PGE2; and (5) TriMix (mRNAs encoding CD40L, CD70, and constitutively active Toll-like receptor 4 electroporated into immature DCs). We found that the four-cytokine cocktail induced high levels of costimulatory and HLA molecules, as well as CCR7, in DCs. Mature DCs (mDCs) matured with the four-cytokine cocktail had higher viability than those obtained with the other protocols. Based on these features, we chose the four-cytokine cocktail protocol to further improve the immunizing capability of DCs by introducing exogenous genes. We showed that introducing exogenous Bcl-2 increased DC survival. Furthermore, introducing IL-12p70 rescued the inhibition of IL-12 secretion by PGE2 without impairing the DC phenotype. Introducing both Bcl-2 and IL-12p70 mRNAs into DCs induced enhanced cytomegalovirus pp65-specific CD8+ T cells secreting IFN-γ and TNF-α. Taken together, our data suggest that DC matured by the four-cytokine cocktail combined with exogenous Bcl-2 and IL-12p70 gene expression represents a promising approach for clinical applications in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Life Science Institute, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | | | - Sheng-Nan Sun
- Beijing Tricision Biotherapeutics Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Shi-You Li
- Beijing Tricision Biotherapeutics Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Hong Shang
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - You-Wen He
- Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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38
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Ahmed R, Sayegh N, Graciotti M, Kandalaft LE. Electroporation as a method of choice to generate genetically modified dendritic cell cancer vaccines. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 65:142-155. [PMID: 32240923 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the last few decades, immunotherapy has emerged as an alternative therapeutic approach to treat cancer. Immunotherapy offers a plethora of different treatment possibilities. Among these, dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccines constitute one of the most promising and valuable therapeutic options. DC-vaccines have been introduced into the clinics more than 15 years ago, and preclinical studies showed their general safety and low toxic effects on patients. However, their treatment efficacy is still rather limited, demanding for novel avenues to improve vaccine efficacy. One way to potentially achieve this is to focus on improving the DC-T cell interaction to further increase T cell priming and downstream activity. A successful DC-T cell interaction requires three different signals (Figure 1): (1) Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and antigen complex interaction with T cell receptor (TCR) (2) interaction between co-stimulatory molecules and their cognate ligands at the cell surface and (3) secretion of cytokines to polarize the immune response toward a Type 1 helper (Th1) phenotype. In recent years, many studies attempted to improve the DC-T cell interaction and overall cancer vaccine therapeutic outcomes by increasing the expression of mediators of signal 1, 2 and/or 3, through genetic modifications of DCs. Transfection of genes of interest can be achieved through many different methods such as passive pulsing, lipofection, viral transfection, or electroporation (EP). However, EP is currently emerging as the method of choice thanks to its safety, versatility, and relatively easy clinical translation. In this review we will highlight the potential benefits of EP over other transfection methods as well as giving an overview of the available studies employing EP to gene-modify DCs in cancer vaccines. Crucial aspects such as safety, feasibility, and gene(s) of choice will be also discussed, together with future perspectives and opportunities for DC genetic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Ahmed
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Naya Sayegh
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Michele Graciotti
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Lana E Kandalaft
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
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Ribonucleic Acid Engineering of Dendritic Cells for Therapeutic Vaccination: Ready 'N Able to Improve Clinical Outcome? Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020299. [PMID: 32012714 PMCID: PMC7072269 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting and exploiting the immune system has become a valid alternative to conventional options for treating cancer and infectious disease. Dendritic cells (DCs) take a central place given their role as key orchestrators of immunity. Therapeutic vaccination with autologous DCs aims to stimulate the patient's own immune system to specifically target his/her disease and has proven to be an effective form of immunotherapy with very little toxicity. A great amount of research in this field has concentrated on engineering these DCs through ribonucleic acid (RNA) to improve vaccine efficacy and thereby the historically low response rates. We reviewed in depth the 52 clinical trials that have been published on RNA-engineered DC vaccination, spanning from 2001 to date and reporting on 696 different vaccinated patients. While ambiguity prevents reliable quantification of effects, these trials do provide evidence that RNA-modified DC vaccination can induce objective clinical responses and survival benefit in cancer patients through stimulation of anti-cancer immunity, without significant toxicity. Succinct background knowledge of RNA engineering strategies and concise conclusions from available clinical and recent preclinical evidence will help guide future research in the larger domain of DC immunotherapy.
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40
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Payandeh Z, Yarahmadi M, Nariman-Saleh-Fam Z, Tarhriz V, Islami M, Aghdam AM, Eyvazi S. Immune therapy of melanoma: Overview of therapeutic vaccines. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:14612-14621. [PMID: 30706472 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer which develops from the occurrence of genetic mutations in the melanocytes. Based on the features of melanoma tumors such as location, genetic profile and stage, there are several therapeutic strategies including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, because of the appearance resistance mechanisms, the efficiency of these treatments strategies may be reduced. It has been demonstrated that therapeutic monoclonal antibodies can improve the efficiency of melanoma therapies. Recently, several mAbs, such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and ipilimumab, were approved for the immunotherapy of melanoma. The antibodies inhibit immune checkpoint receptors such as CTL4 and pd-1. Another therapeutic strategy for the treatment of melanoma is cancer vaccines, which improve clinical outcomes in patients. The combination therapy using antibodies and gene vaccine give us a new perspective in the treatment of melanoma patients. Herein, we present the recent progressions in the melanoma immunotherapy, especially dendritic cells mRNA vaccines by reviewing recent literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Payandeh
- Immunology Research Center, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maral Yarahmadi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ziba Nariman-Saleh-Fam
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Vahideh Tarhriz
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Islami
- Dietary Supplements and Probiotic Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | | | - Shirin Eyvazi
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Biotechnology Research Center, Biomedicine Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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41
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Single Domain Antibody-Mediated Blockade of Programmed Death-Ligand 1 on Dendritic Cells Enhances CD8 T-cell Activation and Cytokine Production. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7030085. [PMID: 31394834 PMCID: PMC6789804 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7030085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cell [DC] vaccines can induce durable clinical responses, at least in a fraction of previously treated, late stage cancer patients. Several preclinical studies suggest that shielding programmed death-ligand 1 [PD-L1] on the DC surface may be an attractive strategy to extend such clinical benefits to a larger patient population. In this study, we evaluated the use of single domain antibody [sdAb] K2, a high affinity, antagonistic, PD-L1 specific sdAb, for its ability to enhance DC mediated T-cell activation and benchmarked it against the use of the monoclonal antibodies [mAbs], MIH1, 29E.2A3 and avelumab. Similar to mAbs, sdAb K2 enhanced antigen-specific T-cell receptor signaling in PD-1 positive (PD-1pos) reporter cells activated by DCs. We further showed that the activation and function of antigen-specific CD8 positive (CD8pos) T cells, activated by DCs, was enhanced by inclusion of sdAb K2, but not mAbs. The failure of mAbs to enhance T-cell activation might be explained by their low efficacy to bind PD-L1 on DCs when compared to binding of PD-L1 on non-immune cells, whereas sdAb K2 shows high binding to PD-L1 on immune as well as non-immune cells. These data provide a rationale for the inclusion of sdAb K2 in DC-based immunotherapy strategies.
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42
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Bol KF, Schreibelt G, Rabold K, Wculek SK, Schwarze JK, Dzionek A, Teijeira A, Kandalaft LE, Romero P, Coukos G, Neyns B, Sancho D, Melero I, de Vries IJM. The clinical application of cancer immunotherapy based on naturally circulating dendritic cells. J Immunother Cancer 2019. [PMID: 30999964 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0580-] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) can initiate and direct adaptive immune responses. This ability is exploitable in DC vaccination strategies, in which DCs are educated ex vivo to present tumor antigens and are administered into the patient with the aim to induce a tumor-specific immune response. DC vaccination remains a promising approach with the potential to further improve cancer immunotherapy with little or no evidence of treatment-limiting toxicity. However, evidence for objective clinical antitumor activity of DC vaccination is currently limited, hampering the clinical implementation. One possible explanation for this is that the most commonly used monocyte-derived DCs may not be the best source for DC-based immunotherapy. The novel approach to use naturally circulating DCs may be an attractive alternative. In contrast to monocyte-derived DCs, naturally circulating DCs are relatively scarce but do not require extensive culture periods. Thereby, their functional capabilities are preserved, the reproducibility of clinical applications is increased, and the cells are not dysfunctional before injection. In human blood, at least three DC subsets can be distinguished, plasmacytoid DCs, CD141+ and CD1c+ myeloid/conventional DCs, each with distinct functional characteristics. In completed clinical trials, either CD1c+ myeloid DCs or plasmacytoid DCs were administered and showed encouraging immunological and clinical outcomes. Currently, also the combination of CD1c+ myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs as well as the intratumoral use of CD1c+ myeloid DCs is under investigation in the clinic. Isolation and culture strategies for CD141+ myeloid DCs are being developed. Here, we summarize and discuss recent clinical developments and future prospects of natural DC-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalijn F Bol
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Katrin Rabold
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Stefanie K Wculek
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Alvaro Teijeira
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lana E Kandalaft
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Romero
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bart Neyns
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Sancho
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - I Jolanda M de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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43
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Bol KF, Schreibelt G, Rabold K, Wculek SK, Schwarze JK, Dzionek A, Teijeira A, Kandalaft LE, Romero P, Coukos G, Neyns B, Sancho D, Melero I, de Vries IJM. The clinical application of cancer immunotherapy based on naturally circulating dendritic cells. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:109. [PMID: 30999964 PMCID: PMC6471787 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) can initiate and direct adaptive immune responses. This ability is exploitable in DC vaccination strategies, in which DCs are educated ex vivo to present tumor antigens and are administered into the patient with the aim to induce a tumor-specific immune response. DC vaccination remains a promising approach with the potential to further improve cancer immunotherapy with little or no evidence of treatment-limiting toxicity. However, evidence for objective clinical antitumor activity of DC vaccination is currently limited, hampering the clinical implementation. One possible explanation for this is that the most commonly used monocyte-derived DCs may not be the best source for DC-based immunotherapy. The novel approach to use naturally circulating DCs may be an attractive alternative. In contrast to monocyte-derived DCs, naturally circulating DCs are relatively scarce but do not require extensive culture periods. Thereby, their functional capabilities are preserved, the reproducibility of clinical applications is increased, and the cells are not dysfunctional before injection. In human blood, at least three DC subsets can be distinguished, plasmacytoid DCs, CD141+ and CD1c+ myeloid/conventional DCs, each with distinct functional characteristics. In completed clinical trials, either CD1c+ myeloid DCs or plasmacytoid DCs were administered and showed encouraging immunological and clinical outcomes. Currently, also the combination of CD1c+ myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs as well as the intratumoral use of CD1c+ myeloid DCs is under investigation in the clinic. Isolation and culture strategies for CD141+ myeloid DCs are being developed. Here, we summarize and discuss recent clinical developments and future prospects of natural DC-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalijn F. Bol
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Katrin Rabold
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Stefanie K. Wculek
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Alvaro Teijeira
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lana E. Kandalaft
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Romero
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - George Coukos
- Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bart Neyns
- Department of Medical Oncology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Sancho
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares `Carlos III`, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - I. Jolanda M. de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud university medical centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang L. Expression of cancer-testis antigens in esophageal cancer and their progress in immunotherapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2019; 145:281-291. [PMID: 30656409 PMCID: PMC6373256 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-019-02840-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Esophageal cancer is a common disease in China with low survival rate due to no obvious early symptoms and lack of effective screening strategies. Traditional treatments usually do not produce desirable results in patients with advanced esophageal cancer, so immunotherapy which relies on tumor-related antigens is needed to combat low survival rates effectively. Cancer-testis antigens (CTA), a large family of tumor-related antigens, have a strong in vivo immunogenicity and tumor-restricted expressing patterns in normal adult tissues. These two characteristics are ideal features of anticancer immunotherapy targets and, therefore, promoted the development of some studies of CTA-based therapy. To provide ideas for the role of the cancer-testis antigens MAGE-A, NY-ESO-1, LAGE-1, and TTK in esophageal cancer, we summarized their expression, prognostic value, and development in immunotherapy. METHODS The relevant literature from PubMed is reviewed in this study. RESULTS In esophageal cancer, although the relationship between expression of MAGE-A, NY-ESO-1, LAGE-1, and TTK and prognosis value is still in a controversial situation, MAGE-A, NY-ESO-1, LAGE-1, and TTK are highly expressed and can induce specific CTL cells to produce particular killing effect on tumor cells, and some clinical trials have demonstrated that immunotherapy for esophageal cancer patients is effective and safe, which provides a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of esophageal cancer in the future. CONCLUSION In this review, we summarize expression and prognostic value of MAGE-A, NY-ESO-1, LAGE-1, and TTK in esophageal cancer and point out recent advances in immunotherapy about them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
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45
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Martin Lluesma S, Graciotti M, Chiang CLL, Kandalaft LE. Does the Immunocompetent Status of Cancer Patients Have an Impact on Therapeutic DC Vaccination Strategies? Vaccines (Basel) 2018; 6:E79. [PMID: 30477198 PMCID: PMC6313858 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines6040079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although different types of therapeutic vaccines against established cancerous lesions in various indications have been developed since the 1990s, their clinical benefit is still very limited. This observed lack of effectiveness in cancer eradication may be partially due to the often deficient immunocompetent status of cancer patients, which may facilitate tumor development by different mechanisms, including immune evasion. The most frequently used cellular vehicle in clinical trials are dendritic cells (DCs), thanks to their crucial role in initiating and directing immune responses. Viable vaccination options using DCs are available, with a positive toxicity profile. For these reasons, despite their limited therapeutic outcomes, DC vaccination is currently considered an additional immunotherapeutic option that still needs to be further explored. In this review, we propose potential actions aimed at improving DC vaccine efficacy by counteracting the detrimental mechanisms recognized to date and implicated in establishing a poor immunocompetent status in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Martin Lluesma
- Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
| | - Michele Graciotti
- Vaccine development laboratory, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
| | - Cheryl Lai-Lai Chiang
- Vaccine development laboratory, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
| | - Lana E Kandalaft
- Center of Experimental Therapeutics, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
- Vaccine development laboratory, Ludwig Center for Cancer Research, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland.
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46
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van Willigen WW, Bloemendal M, Gerritsen WR, Schreibelt G, de Vries IJM, Bol KF. Dendritic Cell Cancer Therapy: Vaccinating the Right Patient at the Right Time. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2265. [PMID: 30327656 PMCID: PMC6174277 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors propelled the field of oncology with clinical responses in many different tumor types. Superior overall survival over chemotherapy has been reported in various metastatic cancers. Furthermore, prolonged disease-free and overall survival have been reported in the adjuvant treatment of stage III melanoma. Unfortunately, a substantial portion of patients do not obtain a durable response. Therefore, additional strategies for the treatment of cancer are still warranted. One of the numerous options is dendritic cell vaccination, which employs the central role of dendritic cells in activating the innate and adaptive immune system. Over the years, dendritic cell vaccination was shown to be able to induce an immunologic response, to increase the number of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and to provide overall survival benefit for at least a selection of patients in phase II studies. However, with the success of immune checkpoint inhibition in several malignancies and considering the plethora of other treatment modalities being developed, it is of utmost importance to delineate the position of dendritic cell therapy in the treatment landscape of cancer. In this review, we address some key questions regarding the integration of dendritic cell vaccination in future cancer treatment paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter W van Willigen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martine Bloemendal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Winald R Gerritsen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Gerty Schreibelt
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - I Jolanda M de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Kalijn F Bol
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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47
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Brabants E, Heyns K, De Smet S, Devreker P, Ingels J, De Cabooter N, Debacker V, Dullaers M, VAN Meerbeeck JP, Vandekerckhove B, Vermaelen KY. An accelerated, clinical-grade protocol to generate high yields of type 1-polarizing messenger RNA-loaded dendritic cells for cancer vaccination. Cytotherapy 2018; 20:1164-1181. [PMID: 30122654 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many efforts have been devoted to improve the performance of dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccines. Ideally, a DC vaccine should induce robust type 1-polarized T-cell responses and efficiently expand antigen (Ag)-specific cytotoxic T-cells, while being applicable regardless of patient human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. Production time should be short, while maximally being good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant. We developed a method that caters to all of these demands and demonstrated the superiority of the resulting product compared with DCs generated using a well-established "classical" protocol. METHODS Immunomagnetically purified monocytes were cultured in a closed system for 3 days in GMP-compliant serum-free medium and cytokines, and matured for 24 h using monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA)+ interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Mature DCs were electroporated with messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding full-length antigen and cryopreserved. "Classical" DCs were cultured for 8 days in flasks, with one round of medium and cytokine supplementation, and matured with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) + prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during the last 2 days. RESULTS Four-day MPLA/IFN-γ-matured DCs were superior to 8-day TNF-α/PGE2-matured DCs in terms of yield, co-stimulatory/co-inhibitory molecule expression, resilience to electroporation and cryopreservation and type 1-polarizing cytokine and chemokine release after cell thawing. Electroporated and cryopreserved DCs according to our protocol efficiently present epitopes from tumor antigen-encoding mRNA, inducing a strong expansion of antigen-specific CD8+ T-cells with full cytolytic capacity. CONCLUSION We demonstrate using a GMP-compliant culture protocol the feasibility of generating high yields of mature DCs in a short time, with a superior immunogenic profile compared with 8-day TNF-α/PGE2-matured DCs, and capable of inducing vigorous cytotoxic T-cell responses to antigen from electroporated mRNA. This method is now being applied in our clinical trial program.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Brabants
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - K Heyns
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - S De Smet
- Cell Therapy Unit, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - P Devreker
- Cell Therapy Unit, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - J Ingels
- Cell Therapy Unit, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - N De Cabooter
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium; Primary Immunodeficiencies Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatric Lung Diseases;-Immunodeficiencies; and-Infectious Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - V Debacker
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium; Primary Immunodeficiencies Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatric Lung Diseases;-Immunodeficiencies; and-Infectious Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - M Dullaers
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium; Primary Immunodeficiencies Research Laboratory, Department of Pediatric Lung Diseases;-Immunodeficiencies; and-Infectious Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - J P VAN Meerbeeck
- Center for Oncological Research, Department of Pulmonology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - B Vandekerckhove
- Cell Therapy Unit, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - K Y Vermaelen
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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48
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Schooten E, Di Maggio A, van Bergen en Henegouwen PM, Kijanka MM. MAGE-A antigens as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Treat Rev 2018; 67:54-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2018.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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49
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Cornel AM, van Til NP, Boelens JJ, Nierkens S. Strategies to Genetically Modulate Dendritic Cells to Potentiate Anti-Tumor Responses in Hematologic Malignancies. Front Immunol 2018; 9:982. [PMID: 29867960 PMCID: PMC5968097 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination has been investigated as a potential strategy to target hematologic malignancies, while generating sustained immunological responses to control potential future relapse. Nonetheless, few clinical trials have shown robust long-term efficacy. It has been suggested that a combination of surmountable shortcomings, such as selection of utilized DC subsets, DC loading and maturation strategies, as well as tumor-induced immunosuppression may be targeted to maximize anti-tumor responses of DC vaccines. Generation of DC from CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) may provide potential in patients undergoing allogeneic HSPC transplantations for hematologic malignancies. CD34+ HSPC from the graft can be genetically modified to optimize antigen presentation and to provide sufficient T cell stimulatory signals. We here describe beneficial (gene)-modifications that can be implemented in various processes in T cell activation by DC, among which major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and MHC class II presentation, DC maturation and migration, cross-presentation, co-stimulation, and immunosuppression to improve anti-tumor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelisa M Cornel
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Niek P van Til
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jaap Jan Boelens
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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50
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Latest development on RNA-based drugs and vaccines. Future Sci OA 2018; 4:FSO300. [PMID: 29796303 PMCID: PMC5961404 DOI: 10.4155/fsoa-2017-0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Drugs and vaccines based on mRNA and RNA viruses show great potential and direct translation in the cytoplasm eliminates chromosomal integration. Limitations are associated with delivery and stability issues related to RNA degradation. Clinical trials on RNA-based drugs have been conducted in various disease areas. Likewise, RNA-based vaccines for viral infections and various cancers have been subjected to preclinical and clinical studies. RNA delivery and stability improvements include RNA structure modifications, targeting dendritic cells and employing self-amplifying RNA. Single-stranded RNA viruses possess self-amplifying RNA, which can provide extreme RNA replication in the cytoplasm to support RNA-based drug and vaccine development. Although oligonucleotide-based approaches have demonstrated potential, the focus here is on mRNA- and RNA virus-based methods. Drug development has suffered from inefficiency, side effects and high costs. For this reason novel approaches for drug discovery are of great importance. RNA-based methods provide the advantage of targeting ‘production’ of drugs to diseased cells and vaccines to immune response-stimulating cells. RNA drugs have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in eye and heart diseases and in various cancers in clinical trials. Likewise, RNA-based vaccines have provided protection against challenges with lethal doses of viruses such as Ebola and cancer cells in animal models.
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