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Huang S, Qin Z, Wang F, Kang Y, Ren B. A potential mechanism of tumor immune escape: Regulation and application of soluble natural killer group 2 member D ligands (Review). Oncol Rep 2024; 52:137. [PMID: 39155864 PMCID: PMC11358674 DOI: 10.3892/or.2024.8796] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune system is integral to the surveillance and eradication of tumor cells. Interactions between the natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) receptor and its ligands (NKG2DLs) are vital for activating NKG2D receptor‑positive immune cells, such as natural killer cells. This activation enables these cells to identify and destroy tumor cells presenting with NKG2DLs, which is an essential aspect of tumor immunity. However, tumor immune escape is facilitated by soluble NKG2DL (sNKG2DL) shed from the surface of tumor cells. The production of sNKG2DL is predominantly regulated by metalloproteinases [a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAM) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) families] and exosomes. sNKG2DL not only diminish immune recognition on the tumor cell surface but also suppress the function of immune cells, such as NK cells, and reduce the expression of the NKG2D receptor. This process promotes immune evasion, progression, and metastasis of tumors. In this review, an in‑depth summary of the mechanisms and factors that influence sNKG2DL production and their contribution to immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment are provided. Furthermore, due to the significant link between sNKG2DLs and tumor progression and metastasis, they have great potential as novel biomarkers. Detectable via liquid biopsies, sNKG2DLs could assess tumor malignancy and prognosis, and act as pivotal targets for immunotherapy. This could lead to the discovery of new drugs or the enhancement of existing treatments. Thus, the application of sNKG2DLs in clinical oncology was explored, offering substantial theoretical support for the development of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies for sNKG2DLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhao Huang
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Zihao Qin
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Feiyang Wang
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Yiping Kang
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Biqiong Ren
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
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2
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Wang D, Dou L, Sui L, Xue Y, Xu S. Natural killer cells in cancer immunotherapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e626. [PMID: 38882209 PMCID: PMC11179524 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells, as innate lymphocytes, possess cytotoxic capabilities and engage target cells through a repertoire of activating and inhibitory receptors. Particularly, natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) receptor on NK cells recognizes stress-induced ligands-the MHC class I chain-related molecules A and B (MICA/B) presented on tumor cells and is key to trigger the cytolytic response of NK cells. However, tumors have developed sophisticated strategies to evade NK cell surveillance, which lead to failure of tumor immunotherapy. In this paper, we summarized these immune escaping strategies, including the downregulation of ligands for activating receptors, upregulation of ligands for inhibitory receptors, secretion of immunosuppressive compounds, and the development of apoptosis resistance. Then, we focus on recent advancements in NK cell immune therapies, which include engaging activating NK cell receptors, upregulating NKG2D ligand MICA/B expression, blocking inhibitory NK cell receptors, adoptive NK cell therapy, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered NK cells (CAR-NK), and NKG2D CAR-T cells, especially several vaccines targeting MICA/B. This review will inspire the research in NK cell biology in tumor and provide significant hope for improving cancer treatment outcomes by harnessing the potent cytotoxic activity of NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- DanRu Wang
- National Key Lab of Immunity and Inflammation and Institute of Immunology Naval Medical University Shanghai China
| | - LingYun Dou
- National Key Lab of Immunity and Inflammation and Institute of Immunology Naval Medical University Shanghai China
| | - LiHao Sui
- National Key Lab of Immunity and Inflammation and Institute of Immunology Naval Medical University Shanghai China
| | - Yiquan Xue
- National Key Lab of Immunity and Inflammation and Institute of Immunology Naval Medical University Shanghai China
| | - Sheng Xu
- National Key Lab of Immunity and Inflammation and Institute of Immunology Naval Medical University Shanghai China
- Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation Dongfang Hospital Shanghai China
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3
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Wang J, Wang Y, Jiang X, Xu M, Wang M, Wang R, Zheng B, Chen M, Ke Q, Long J. Unleashing the power of immune checkpoints: Post-translational modification of novel molecules and clinical applications. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216758. [PMID: 38401885 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint molecules play a pivotal role in the initiation, regulation, and termination of immune responses. Tumor cells exploit these checkpoints to dampen immune cell function, facilitating immune evasion. Clinical interventions target this mechanism by obstructing the binding of immune checkpoints to their ligands, thereby restoring the anti-tumor capabilities of immune cells. Notably, therapies centered on immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blocking antibodies, have demonstrated significant clinical promise. However, a considerable portion of patients still encounter suboptimal efficacy and develop resistance. Recent years have witnessed an exponential surge in preclinical and clinical trials investigating novel immune checkpoint molecules such as TIM3, LAG3, TIGIT, NKG2D, and CD47, along with their respective ligands. The processes governing immune checkpoint molecules, from their synthesis to transmembrane deployment, interaction with ligands, and eventual degradation, are intricately tied to post-translational modifications. These modifications encompass glycosylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, neddylation, SUMOylation, palmitoylation, and ectodomain shedding. This discussion proceeds to provide a concise overview of the structural characteristics of several novel immune checkpoints and their ligands. Additionally, it outlines the regulatory mechanisms governed by post-translational modifications, offering insights into their potential clinical applications in immune checkpoint blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology & Diagnostic Pathology Center, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| | - Yian Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xianjie Jiang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Meifang Xu
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology & Diagnostic Pathology Center, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Meifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology & Diagnostic Pathology Center, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology & Diagnostic Pathology Center, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Boshu Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology & Diagnostic Pathology Center, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Mingfen Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Qi Ke
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jun Long
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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Serritella AV, Saenz-Lopez Larrocha P, Dhar P, Liu S, Medd MM, Jia S, Cao Q, Wu JD. The Human Soluble NKG2D Ligand Differentially Impacts Tumorigenicity and Progression in Temporal and Model-Dependent Modes. Biomedicines 2024; 12:196. [PMID: 38255301 PMCID: PMC10812945 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
NKG2D is an activating receptor expressed by all human NK cells and CD8 T cells. Harnessing the NKG2D/NKG2D ligand axis has emerged as a viable avenue for cancer immunotherapy. However, there is a long-standing controversy over whether soluble NKG2D ligands are immunosuppressive or immunostimulatory, originating from conflicting data generated from different scopes of pre-clinical investigations. Using multiple pre-clinical tumor models, we demonstrated that the impact of the most characterized human solid tumor-associated soluble NKG2D ligand, the soluble MHC I chain-related molecule (sMIC), on tumorigenesis depended on the tumor model being studied and whether the tumor cells possessed stemness-like properties. We demonstrated that the potential of tumor formation or establishment depended upon tumor cell stem-like properties irrespective of tumor cells secreting the soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC. Specifically, tumor formation was delayed or failed if sMIC-expressing tumor cells expressed low stem-cell markers; tumor formation was rapid if sMIC-expressing tumor cells expressed high stem-like cell markers. However, once tumors were formed, overexpression of sMIC unequivocally suppressed tumoral NK and CD8 T cell immunity and facilitated tumor growth. Our study distinguished the differential impacts of soluble NKG2D ligands in tumor formation and tumor progression, cleared the outstanding controversy over soluble NKG2D ligands in modulating tumor immunity, and re-enforced the viability of targeting soluble NKG2D ligands for cancer immunotherapy for established tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony V. Serritella
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
| | - Pablo Saenz-Lopez Larrocha
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
| | - Payal Dhar
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
| | - Sizhe Liu
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
| | - Milan M. Medd
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
| | - Shengxian Jia
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
| | - Qi Cao
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
| | - Jennifer D. Wu
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; (P.S.-L.L.); (P.D.); (S.L.); (M.M.M.); (S.J.); (Q.C.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Kim S, Chung H, Kwak JE, Kim YR, Park CH, Kim Y, Cheong JW, Wu J, Shin EC, Cho H, Kim JS. Clearing soluble MIC reverses the impaired function of natural killer cells from patients with multiple myeloma. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007886. [PMID: 38191242 PMCID: PMC10806558 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related protein (MIC) is a stress-induced ligand released from multiple myeloma (MM) cells during progression, and soluble MIC impairs natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) activating receptor-mediated recognition and function of natural killer (NK) cells. However, whether clearing soluble MIC with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) can restore NK cell activity of MM patients remains undetermined. METHODS We analyzed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) CoMMpass data set to examine the prognostic significance of MIC expression in MM. We examined the level of soluble MIC in paired peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) plasma of patients with MM at diagnosis by ELISA. We evaluated the correlation between the level of soluble MIC and immunophenotype of NK cells from MM patients by multicolor flow cytometry. We also generated MIC-overexpressing MM cell line and characterized the cytotoxic function of patient NK cells in the presence of soluble MIC, and examined the impact of clearing soluble MIC with a humanized mAb (huB10G5). RESULTS We characterize the importance of MICA in MM by revealing the significantly better overall survival of patients with high MICA expression from TCGA MMRF CoMMpass data set. The level of soluble MICA is more highly elevated in MM than in precursor stages, and the concentration of soluble MICA is higher in BM plasma than in PB. The concentration of soluble MICA in BM was correlated with myeloma burden, while it was negatively correlated with the frequency of NKG2D+ NK cells in diagnostic BM aspirates of MM patients. Soluble MICA downregulated NKG2D expression and decreased cytotoxicity of MM patient NK cells ex vivo, which were reversed by a humanized soluble MIC-clearing mAb (huB10G5) with enhanced degranulation of NK cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate targeting soluble MIC with huB10G5 might be a viable therapeutic approach to promote NKG2D-dependent cellular immunotherapy outcome in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sojeong Kim
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Haerim Chung
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Jeong-Eun Kwak
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Yu Ri Kim
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Chung Hyun Park
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Yeonhee Kim
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - June-Won Cheong
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Jennifer Wu
- Department of Urology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Eui-Cheol Shin
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Hyunsoo Cho
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Jin Seok Kim
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
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Yin JY, Zhou Y, Ding XM, Gong RZ, Zhou Y, Hu HY, Liu Y, Lv XB, Zhang B. UCA1 Inhibits NKG2D-mediated Cytotoxicity of NK Cells to Breast Cancer. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2024; 24:204-219. [PMID: 37076962 DOI: 10.2174/1568009623666230418134253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer cells play important roles in tumor immune surveillance, and cancer cells must resist this surveillance in order to progress and metastasise. INTRODUCTION The study aimed to explore the mechanism of how breast cancer cells become resistant to the cytotoxicity of NK cells. METHODS We established NK-resistant breast cancer cells by exposing MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells to NK92 cells. Profiles of lncRNA were compared between the NK-resistant and parental cell lines. Primary NK cells were isolated by MACS, and the NK attacking effect was tested by non-radioactive cytotoxicity. The change in lncRNAs was analyzed by Gene-chip. The interaction between lncRNA and miRNA was displayed by Luciferase assay. The regulation of the gene was verified by QRT-PCR and WB. The clinical indicators were detected by ISH, IH, and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS UCA1 was found to be significantly up-regulated in both NK-resistant cell lines, and we confirmed such up-regulation on its own to be sufficient to render parental cell lines resistant to NK92 cells. We found that UCA1 up-regulated ULBP2 via the transcription factor CREB1, while it up-regulated ADAM17 by "sponging" the miR-26b-5p. ADAM17 facilitated the shedding of soluble ULBP2 from the surface of breast cancer cells, rendering them resistant to killing by NK cells. UCA1, ADAM17, and ULBP2 were found to be expressed at higher levels in bone metastases of breast cancer than in primary tumors. CONCLUSION Our data strongly suggest that UCA1 up-regulates ULBP2 expression and shedding, rendering breast cancer cells resistant to killing by NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Yi Yin
- Orthopaedic Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 445 Bayi Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, China
- Oncology Department of Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai, 200065, China
| | - Yao Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Third hospital of Nanchang, No. 2, Xiangshan Road, Xihu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330009, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Ding
- Oncology Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, No. 600 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Run-Ze Gong
- Oncology Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, No. 600 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Oncology Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, No. 600 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Hai-Yan Hu
- Oncology Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, No. 600 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Oncology Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, No. 600 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Xiao-Bin Lv
- Central Laboratory of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 128 Xiangshan N Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330008, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Orthopaedic Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 445 Bayi Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, China
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7
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Roles of natural killer cells in immunity to cancer, and applications to immunotherapy. Nat Rev Immunol 2023; 23:90-105. [PMID: 35637393 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-022-00732-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 160.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Great strides have been made in recent years towards understanding the roles of natural killer (NK) cells in immunity to tumours and viruses. NK cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells that produce inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. By lysing transformed or infected cells, they limit tumour growth and viral infections. Whereas T cells recognize peptides presented by MHC molecules, NK cells display receptors that recognize stress-induced autologous proteins on cancer cells. At the same time, their functional activity is inhibited by MHC molecules displayed on such cells. The enormous potential of NK cells for immunotherapy for cancer is illustrated by their broad recognition of stressed cells regardless of neoantigen presentation, and enhanced activity against tumours that have lost expression of MHC class I owing to acquired resistance mechanisms. As a result, many efforts are under way to mobilize endogenous NK cells with therapeutics, or to provide populations of ex vivo-expanded NK cells as a cellular therapy, in some cases by equipping the NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors. Here we consider the key features that underlie why NK cells are emerging as important new additions to the cancer therapeutic arsenal.
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Whalen KA, Rakhra K, Mehta NK, Steinle A, Michaelson JS, Baeuerle PA. Engaging natural killer cells for cancer therapy via NKG2D, CD16A and other receptors. MAbs 2023; 15:2208697. [PMID: 37165468 PMCID: PMC10173799 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2208697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of immuno-oncology has revolutionized cancer patient care and improved survival and quality of life for patients. Much of the focus in the field has been on exploiting the power of the adaptive immune response through therapeutic targeting of T cells. While these approaches have markedly advanced the field, some challenges remain, and the clinical benefit of T cell therapies does not extend to all patients or tumor indications. Alternative strategies, such as engaging the innate immune system, have become an intense area of focus in the field. In particular, the engagement of natural killer (NK) cells as potent effectors of the innate immune response has emerged as a promising modality in immunotherapy. Here, we review therapeutic approaches for selective engagement of NK cells for cancer therapy, with a particular focus on targeting the key activating receptors NK Group 2D (NKG2D) and cluster of differentiation 16A (CD16A).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry A. Whalen
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kavya Rakhra
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Naveen K. Mehta
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Steinle
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Preclinical and Early Development, Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Patrick A. Baeuerle
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
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Secchiari F, Nuñez SY, Sierra JM, Ziblat A, Regge MV, Raffo Iraolagoitia XL, Rovegno A, Ameri C, Secin FP, Richards N, Ríos Pita H, Vitagliano G, Rico L, Mieggi M, Frascheri F, Bonanno N, Blas L, Trotta A, Friedrich AD, Fuertes MB, Domaica CI, Zwirner NW. The MICA-NKG2D axis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma bolsters MICA as target in immuno-oncology. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2104991. [PMID: 35936986 PMCID: PMC9354769 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2104991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
NKG2D is a major natural killer (NK) cell-activating receptor that recognizes eight ligands (NKG2DLs), including MICA, and whose engagement triggers NK cell effector functions. As NKG2DLs are upregulated on tumor cells but tumors can subvert the NKG2D-NKG2DL axis, NKG2DLs constitute attractive targets for antibody (Ab)-based immuno-oncology therapies. However, such approaches require a deep characterization of NKG2DLs and NKG2D cell surface expression on primary tumor and immune cells. Here, using a bioinformatic analysis, we observed that MICA is overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and we also detected an association between the NKG2D-MICA axis and a diminished overall survival of RCC patients. Also, by flow cytometry (FC), we observed that MICA was the only NKG2DL over-expressed on clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumor cells, including cancer stem cells (CSC) that also coexpressed NKG2D. Moreover, tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TIL), but not peripheral blood lymphoid cells (PBL) from ccRCC patients, over-expressed MICA, ULBP3 and ULBP4. In addition, NKG2D was downregulated on peripheral blood NK cells (PBNK) from ccRCC patients but upregulated on tumor-infiltrating NK cells (TINK). These TINK exhibited impaired degranulation that negatively correlated with NKG2D expression, diminished IFN-γ production, upregulation of TIM-3, and an impaired glucose intake upon stimulation with cytokines, indicating that they are dysfunctional, display features of exhaustion and an altered metabolic fitness. We conclude that ccRCC patients exhibit a distorted MICA-NKG2D axis, and MICA emerges as the forefront NKG2DL for the development of targeted therapies in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Secchiari
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Sol Yanel Nuñez
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Jessica Mariel Sierra
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Andrea Ziblat
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - María Victoria Regge
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Ximena Lucía Raffo Iraolagoitia
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Agustín Rovegno
- Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno” (CEMIC)
| | - Carlos Ameri
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Pablo Secin
- Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno” (CEMIC)
| | - Nicolás Richards
- Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno” (CEMIC)
| | | | | | - Luis Rico
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauro Mieggi
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Nicolás Bonanno
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leandro Blas
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aldana Trotta
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Adrián David Friedrich
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Mercedes Beatriz Fuertes
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Carolina Inés Domaica
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Norberto Walter Zwirner
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Yang L, Sun L, Cao Y, Wang Q, Song A, Zhu R, Liu W, Lu S. MULT1-Encoding DNA Alleviates Schistosomiasis-Associated Hepatic Fibrosis via Modulating Cellular Immune Response. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:4027-4045. [PMID: 35873385 PMCID: PMC9301018 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s354224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose In schistosomiasis-associated hepatic fibrosis, the role of murine UL16-binding protein-like transcript 1 (MULT1), the strongest ligand of natural killer group 2-member D receptor (NKG2D), remains unclear. Here, Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice administered with MULT1-encoding DNA were used to test MULT1 as a potential therapy for schistosomiasis-associated hepatic fibrosis and explore relevant mechanisms. Materials and Methods A recombinant plasmid encoding MULT1 (p-rMULT1) was constructed and administered to Schistosoma japonicum-infected BALB/c mice via hydrodynamic tail vein injection. Egg granulomas in liver, hepatic fibrosis biomarkers and levels of cytokines were investigated. Comparisons of CD4+ T, CD8+ T, NK and NKT proportions as well as their phenotype were performed not only between Schistosoma infected, p-rMULT1 treated group and Schistosoma infected, backbone plasmid pEGFP-N1 treated group but also between infected, nontreated group and health control group. Results Reduced area of granuloma formation and fibrosis around single eggs, downregulated expression of collagen I, α-smooth muscle actin, TGF-β and IL-10, and upregulated expression of IFN-γ, were observed in the livers of p-rMULT1 treated mice. p-rMULT1 treatment improved Schistosoma infection impacted immune microenvironment by modulating proportion of CD4+ T CD8+ T, natural killer (NK) and NKT cells, enhancing expression of NKG2D, in lymphocytes, and augmenting IFN-γ secretion by CD4+ T, CD8+ T, NK and NKT cells, as well as partially reversing some other phenotype changes of lymphocytes. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, we provided the first in vivo evidence that MULT1 is a favorable anti-fibrosis factor in the context of schistosomiasis. The inhibitory effect of MULT1 overexpression on schistosomiasis associated with hepatic fibrosis may result from augmenting the proportion and function of NKG2D-expressing immune cells, and from enhancing NK- and T-cell activation, as well as regulating the helper T (Th)1/Th2 balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yalan Cao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.,Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Anni Song
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ru Zhu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenqi Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengjun Lu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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11
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Curio S, Edwards SC, Suzuki T, McGovern J, Triulzi C, Yoshida N, Jonsson G, Glauner T, Rami D, Wiesheu R, Kilbey A, Violet Purcell R, Coffelt SB, Guerra N. NKG2D signaling regulates IL-17A-producing γδT cells in mice to promote cancer progression. DISCOVERY IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 1:kyac002. [PMID: 36277678 PMCID: PMC9580227 DOI: 10.1093/discim/kyac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
γδT cells are unconventional T cells particularly abundant in mucosal tissues that play an important role in tissue surveillance, homeostasis, and cancer. γδT cells recognize stressed cells or cancer cells through the NKG2D receptor to kill these cells and maintain normality. Contrary to the well-established anti-tumor function of these NKG2D-expressing γδT cells, we show here that, in mice, NKG2D regulates a population of pro-tumor γδT cells capable of producing IL-17A. Germline deletion of Klrk1, the gene encoding NKG2D, reduced the frequency of γδT cells in the tumor microenvironment and delayed tumor progression. We further show that blocking NKG2D reduced the capability of γδT cells to produce IL-17A in the pre-metastatic lung and that co-culture of lung T cells with NKG2D ligand-expressing tumor cells specifically increased the frequency of γδT cells. Together, these data support the hypothesis that, in a tumor microenvironment where NKG2D ligands are constitutively expressed, γδT cells accumulate in an NKG2D-dependent manner and drive tumor progression by secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Curio
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah C Edwards
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Toshiyasu Suzuki
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jenny McGovern
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Chiara Triulzi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nagisa Yoshida
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Gustav Jonsson
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Teresa Glauner
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Damiano Rami
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Robert Wiesheu
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Anna Kilbey
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Seth B Coffelt
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nadia Guerra
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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12
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Campos-Silva C, López-Borrego S, Felgueres MJ, Esteso G, Vales-Gomez M. NKG2D Ligands in Liquid Biopsy: The Importance of Soluble and Vesicle-Bound Proteins for Immune Modulation. Crit Rev Immunol 2022; 42:21-40. [PMID: 36374819 DOI: 10.1615/critrevimmunol.2022045263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The identification of biomarkers allowing diagnostics, prognostics and patient classification is still a challenge in oncological research for patient management. Improvements in patient survival achieved with immunotherapies substantiate that biomarker studies rely not only on cellular pathways contributing to the pathology, but also on the immune competence of the patient. If these immune molecules can be studied in a non-invasive manner, the benefit for patients and clinicians is obvious. The immune receptor Natural Killer Group 2 Member D (NKG2D) represents one of the main systems involved in direct recognition of tumor cells by effector lymphocytes (T and Natural Killer cells), and in immune evasion. The biology of NKG2D and its ligands comprises a complex network of cellular pathways leading to the expression of these tumor-associated ligands on the cell surface or to their release either as soluble proteins, or in extracellular vesicles that potently inhibit NKG2D-mediated responses. Increased levels of NKG2D-ligands in patient serum correlate with tumor progression and poor prognosis; however, most studies did not test the biochemical form of these molecules. Here we review the biology of the NKG2D receptor and ligands, their role in cancer and in patient response to immunotherapies, as well as the changes provoked in this system by non-immune cancer therapies. Further, we discuss the use of NKG2D-L in liquid biopsy, including methods to analyse vesicle-associated proteins. We propose that the evaluation in cancer patients of the whole NKG2D system can provide crucial information about patient immune competence and risk of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Campos-Silva
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia López-Borrego
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Felgueres
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gloria Esteso
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Vales-Gomez
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, Spanish National Research Council (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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13
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Terrén I, Borrego F. Role of NK Cells in Tumor Progression. EXPERIENTIA SUPPLEMENTUM (2012) 2022; 113:169-187. [PMID: 35165864 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-91311-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cells are effector lymphocytes with the ability to generate an antitumor response. NK cells encompass a diverse group of subsets with different properties and have the capacity to kill cancer cells by different means. However, tumor cells have developed several mechanisms to evade NK cell-mediated killing. In this chapter, we summarize some aspects of NK cell biology with the aim to understand the competence of these cells and explore some of the challenges that NK cells have to face in different malignancies. Moreover, we will review the current knowledge about the role of NK cells in tumor progression and describe their phenotype and effector functions in tumor tissues and peripheral blood from cancer patients. Finally, we will recapitulate several findings from different studies focused on determining the prognostic value of NK cells in distinct cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Terrén
- Immunopathology Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Francisco Borrego
- Immunopathology Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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14
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Abakushina EV, Popova LI, Zamyatnin AA, Werner J, Mikhailovsky NV, Bazhin AV. The Advantages and Challenges of Anticancer Dendritic Cell Vaccines and NK Cells in Adoptive Cell Immunotherapy. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:1363. [PMID: 34835294 PMCID: PMC8625865 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, an impressive advance was achieved in adoptive cell therapy (ACT), which has improved therapeutic potential and significant value in promising cancer treatment for patients. The ACT is based on the cell transfer of dendritic cells (DCs) and/or immune effector cells. DCs are often used as vaccine carriers or antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to prime naive T cells ex vivo or in vivo. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells are used as major tool effector cells for ACT. Despite the fact that NK cell immunotherapy is highly effective and promising against many cancer types, there are still some limitations, including insignificant infiltration, adverse conditions of the microenvironment, the immunosuppressive cellular populations, and the low cytotoxic activity in solid tumors. To overcome these difficulties, novel methods of NK cell isolation, expansion, and stimulation of cytotoxic activity should be designed. In this review, we discuss the basic characteristics of DC vaccines and NK cells as potential adoptive cell preparations in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V. Abakushina
- Department for Development and Research in Immunology, LLC “Tecon Medical Devices”, 123298 Moscow, Russia; (L.I.P.); (N.V.M.)
| | - Liubov I. Popova
- Department for Development and Research in Immunology, LLC “Tecon Medical Devices”, 123298 Moscow, Russia; (L.I.P.); (N.V.M.)
| | - Andrey A. Zamyatnin
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia;
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Jens Werner
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.V.B.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nikolay V. Mikhailovsky
- Department for Development and Research in Immunology, LLC “Tecon Medical Devices”, 123298 Moscow, Russia; (L.I.P.); (N.V.M.)
| | - Alexandr V. Bazhin
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (J.W.); (A.V.B.)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
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15
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Velichinskii RA, Streltsova MA, Kust SA, Sapozhnikov AM, Kovalenko EI. The Biological Role and Therapeutic Potential of NK Cells in Hematological and Solid Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111385. [PMID: 34768814 PMCID: PMC8584101 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
NK cells are an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy due to their potent antitumor activity. The main advantage of using NK cells as cytotoxic effectors over T cells is a reduced risk of graft versus host disease. At present, several variants of NK-cell-based therapies are undergoing clinical trials and show considerable effectiveness for hematological tumors. In these types of cancers, the immune cells themselves often undergo malignant transformation, which determines the features of the disease. In contrast, the current use of NK cells as therapeutic agents for the treatment of solid tumors is much less promising. Most studies are at the stage of preclinical investigation, but few progress to clinical trials. Low efficiency of NK cell migration and functional activity in the tumor environment are currently considered the major barriers to NK cell anti-tumor therapies. Various therapeutic combinations, genetic engineering methods, alternative sources for obtaining NK cells, and other techniques are aiming at the development of promising NK cell anticancer therapies, regardless of tumorigenesis. In this review, we compare the role of NK cells in the pathogenesis of hematological and solid tumors and discuss current prospects of NK-cell-based therapy for hematological and solid tumors.
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16
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Fuertes MB, Domaica CI, Zwirner NW. Leveraging NKG2D Ligands in Immuno-Oncology. Front Immunol 2021; 12:713158. [PMID: 34394116 PMCID: PMC8358801 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.713158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) revolutionized the field of immuno-oncology and opened new avenues towards the development of novel assets to achieve durable immune control of cancer. Yet, the presence of tumor immune evasion mechanisms represents a challenge for the development of efficient treatment options. Therefore, combination therapies are taking the center of the stage in immuno-oncology. Such combination therapies should boost anti-tumor immune responses and/or target tumor immune escape mechanisms, especially those created by major players in the tumor microenvironment (TME) such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). Natural killer (NK) cells were recently positioned at the forefront of many immunotherapy strategies, and several new approaches are being designed to fully exploit NK cell antitumor potential. One of the most relevant NK cell-activating receptors is NKG2D, a receptor that recognizes 8 different NKG2D ligands (NKG2DL), including MICA and MICB. MICA and MICB are poorly expressed on normal cells but become upregulated on the surface of damaged, transformed or infected cells as a result of post-transcriptional or post-translational mechanisms and intracellular pathways. Their engagement of NKG2D triggers NK cell effector functions. Also, MICA/B are polymorphic and such polymorphism affects functional responses through regulation of their cell-surface expression, intracellular trafficking, shedding of soluble immunosuppressive isoforms, or the affinity of NKG2D interaction. Although immunotherapeutic approaches that target the NKG2D-NKG2DL axis are under investigation, several tumor immune escape mechanisms account for reduced cell surface expression of NKG2DL and contribute to tumor immune escape. Also, NKG2DL polymorphism determines functional NKG2D-dependent responses, thus representing an additional challenge for leveraging NKG2DL in immuno-oncology. In this review, we discuss strategies to boost MICA/B expression and/or inhibit their shedding and propose that combination strategies that target MICA/B with antibodies and strategies aimed at promoting their upregulation on tumor cells or at reprograming TAM into pro-inflammatory macrophages and remodeling of the TME, emerge as frontrunners in immuno-oncology because they may unleash the antitumor effector functions of NK cells and cytotoxic CD8 T cells (CTL). Pursuing several of these pipelines might lead to innovative modalities of immunotherapy for the treatment of a wide range of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Beatriz Fuertes
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Inés Domaica
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Norberto Walter Zwirner
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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17
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Dhar P, Basher F, Ji Z, Huang L, Qin S, Wainwright DA, Robinson J, Hagler S, Zhou J, MacKay S, Wu JD. Tumor-derived NKG2D ligand sMIC reprograms NK cells to an inflammatory phenotype through CBM signalosome activation. Commun Biol 2021; 4:905. [PMID: 34294876 PMCID: PMC8298432 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02440-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural Killer (NK) cell dysfunction is associated with poorer clinical outcome in cancer patients. What regulates NK cell dysfunction in tumor microenvironment is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that the human tumor-derived NKG2D ligand soluble MIC (sMIC) reprograms NK cell to secrete pro-tumorigenic cytokines with diminished cytotoxicity and polyfunctional potential. Antibody clearing sMIC restores NK cell to a normal cytotoxic effector functional state. We discovered that sMIC selectively activates the CBM-signalosome inflammatory pathways in NK cells. Conversely, tumor cell membrane-bound MIC (mMIC) stimulates NK cell cytotoxicity through activating PLC2γ2/SLP-76/Vav1 pathway. Ultimately, antibody targeting sMIC effectuated the in vivo anti-tumor effect of adoptively transferred NK cells. Our findings uncover an unrecognized mechanism that could instruct NK cell to a dysfunctional state in response to cues in the tumor microenvironment. Our findings provide a rationale for co-targeting sMIC to enhance the efficacy of the ongoing NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payal Dhar
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Fahmin Basher
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Zhe Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lei Huang
- Center for Research Informatics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Si Qin
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Derek A Wainwright
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Jing Zhou
- Isoplexis Corporation, Branford, CT, USA
| | | | - Jennifer D Wu
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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18
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Desimio MG, Finocchi A, Di Matteo G, Di Cesare S, Giancotta C, Conti F, Chessa L, Piane M, Montin D, Dellepiane M, Rossi P, Cancrini C, Doria M. Altered NK-cell compartment and dysfunctional NKG2D/NKG2D-ligand axis in patients with ataxia-telangiectasia. Clin Immunol 2021; 230:108802. [PMID: 34298181 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2021.108802] [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: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a multisystem disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the gene encoding A-T mutated (ATM) kinase, a master regulator of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway. Most A-T patients show cellular and/or humoral immunodeficiency that has been associated with cancer risk and reduced survival, but NK cells have not been thoroughly studied. Here we investigated NK cells of A-T patients with a special focus on the NKG2D receptor that triggers cytotoxicity upon engagement by its ligands (NKG2DLs) commonly induced via the DDR pathway on infected, transformed, and variously stressed cells. Using flow cytometry, we examined the phenotype and function of NK cells in 6 A-T patients as compared with healthy individuals. NKG2D expression was evaluated also by western blotting and RT-qPCR; plasma soluble NKG2DLs (sMICA, sMICB, sULBP1, ULBP2) were measured by ELISA. Results showed that A-T NK cells were skewed towards the CD56neg anergic phenotype and displayed decreased expression of NKG2D and perforin. NKG2D was reduced at the protein but not at the mRNA level and resulted in impaired NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity in 4/6 A-T patients. Moreover, in A-T plasma we found 24-fold and 2-fold increase of sMICA and sULBP1, respectively, both inversely correlated with NKG2D expression. Overall, NK cells are disturbed in A-T patients showing reduced NKG2D expression, possibly caused by persistent engagement of its ligands, that may contribute to susceptibility to cancer and infections and represent novel targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Giovanna Desimio
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Finocchi
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Gigliola Di Matteo
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Cesare
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Carmela Giancotta
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Conti
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Piane
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Montin
- Pediatric Immunology and Rheumatology, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Marta Dellepiane
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Caterina Cancrini
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Margherita Doria
- Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
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19
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Rathi N, McFarland TR, Nussenzveig R, Agarwal N, Swami U. Evolving Role of Immunotherapy in Metastatic Castration Refractory Prostate Cancer. Drugs 2020; 81:191-206. [PMID: 33369720 PMCID: PMC7932934 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-020-01456-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapies have shown remarkable success in the treatment of multiple cancer types; however, despite encouraging preclinical activity, registration trials of immunotherapy in prostate cancer have largely been unsuccessful. Sipuleucel-T remains the only approved immunotherapy for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer based on modest improvement in overall survival. This immune evasion in the case of prostate cancer has been attributed to tumor-intrinsic factors, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and host factors, which ultimately make it an inert 'cold' tumor. Recently, multiple approaches have been investigated to turn prostate cancer into a 'hot' tumor. Antibodies directed against programmed cell death protein 1 have a tumor agnostic approval for a small minority of patients with microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair-deficient metastatic prostate cancer. Herein, we present an overview of the current immunotherapy landscape in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with a focus on immune checkpoint inhibitors. We describe the results of clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer; either as single agents or in combination with other checkpoint inhibitors, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, novel hormonal therapies, chemotherapies, and radioligands. Finally, we review upcoming immunotherapies, including novel monoclonal antibodies, chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, Bi-Specific T cell Engagers (BiTEs), therapies targeting the adenosine pathway, and other miscellaneous agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nityam Rathi
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive Suite 5726, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Taylor Ryan McFarland
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive Suite 5726, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Roberto Nussenzveig
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive Suite 5726, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Neeraj Agarwal
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive Suite 5726, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Umang Swami
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive Suite 5726, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
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20
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Xing S, Ferrari de Andrade L. NKG2D and MICA/B shedding: a 'tag game' between NK cells and malignant cells. Clin Transl Immunology 2020; 9:e1230. [PMID: 33363734 PMCID: PMC7754731 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes with cytotoxic functions and recognise target cells with the NK group 2D (NKG2D) receptor. Tumor cells are marked for NK‐cell‐mediated destruction upon expression of MICA and MICB (MICA/B), which are NKG2D ligands upregulated by many human cancers in response to cellular stress pathways associated with malignant transformation such as DNA damage and accumulation of misfolded proteins. However, MICA/B proteins are downregulated by tumor cells via intriguing molecular mechanisms, such as post‐translational modifications in which the external domains of MICA/B are proteolytically cleaved by surface proteases and shed into the extracellular space. MICA/B shedding by cancer cells causes effective escape from NKG2D recognition and allows the development of cancers. Patients frequently have increased concentrations of soluble MICA/B molecules shed in the blood plasmas and sera, thus indicating that MICA/B shedding is a therapeutic target in immune‐oncology. Here, we review the clinical significance of MICA/B shedding in cancer as well as novel immunotherapeutic approaches that aim to restore NKG2D‐mediated surveillance. We also briefly discuss potential roles of MICA/B shedding beyond oncology, such as in viral infections and immune tolerance. This review will help to inform the future developments of NKG2D‐based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucas Ferrari de Andrade
- Precision Immunology Institute New York NY USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences New York NY USA.,The Tisch Cancer Institute of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York NY USA
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21
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Baugh R, Khalique H, Seymour LW. Convergent Evolution by Cancer and Viruses in Evading the NKG2D Immune Response. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3827. [PMID: 33352921 PMCID: PMC7766243 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) receptor and its family of NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs) are key components in the innate immune system, triggering NK, γδ and CD8+ T cell-mediated immune responses. While surface NKG2DL are rarely found on healthy cells, expression is significantly increased in response to various types of cellular stress, viral infection, and tumour cell transformation. In order to evade immune-mediated cytotoxicity, both pathogenic viruses and cancer cells have evolved various mechanisms of subverting immune defences and preventing NKG2DL expression. Comparisons of the mechanisms employed following virus infection or malignant transformation reveal a pattern of converging evolution at many of the key regulatory steps involved in NKG2DL expression and subsequent immune responses. Exploring ways to target these shared steps in virus- and cancer-mediated immune evasion may provide new mechanistic insights and therapeutic opportunities, for example, using oncolytic virotherapy to re-engage the innate immune system towards cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leonard W. Seymour
- Anticancer Viruses and Cancer Vaccines Research Group, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (R.B.); (H.K.)
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22
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Easom NJW, Marks M, Jobe D, Gillmore R, Meyer T, Maini MK, Njie R. ULBP1 Is Elevated in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Predicts Outcome. Front Oncol 2020; 10:971. [PMID: 32656081 PMCID: PMC7324784 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and despite recent immunotherapeutic advances there remains a need for improved diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools. UL-16 binding protein 1 (ULBP1) is a ligand of the activatory receptor Natural Killer cell Group 2 receptor D (NKG2D) and is found as a cell-surface protein on some malignant cells including on human hepatocellular carcinomas. We aimed to explore the biological and clinical significance of NKG2D ligands in the circulation of patients with HCC. We measured ULBP1 in the serum of two retrospective cohorts of patients with HCC from the PROLIFICA cohort in The Gambia (n = 43) and from a tertiary care setting in the UK (n = 72) by sandwich ELISA. Exosome isolation by size exclusion was used to compare ULBP1 concentration in exosomes and as free protein. Survival analysis was performed and multiple linear regression and Poisson regression were used to assess the independent effect of ULBP1 concentration. ULBP1 was raised in both cohorts with HCC regardless of the underlying liver disease, and was not associated with markers of cirrhosis such as platelet count or serum albumin. ULBP1 was present predominantly as free protein rather than bound to exosomes. Serum ULBP1 > 2000 pg/ml was associated with a significantly reduced survival in both cohorts (hazard ratios in Gambian and UK cohorts 2.37 and 2.1, respectively). The effect remained significant after adjustment for BCLC staging (p = 0.03). These data suggest that ULBP1 merits further investigation as a prognostic marker in HCC in diverse settings and should also be explored as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. W. Easom
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Marks
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dawda Jobe
- MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM, Fajara, Gambia
| | | | - Tim Meyer
- Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Oncology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mala K. Maini
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ramou Njie
- Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study (GHIS), IARC, Lyon, France
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23
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Basher F, Dhar P, Wang X, Wainwright DA, Zhang B, Sosman J, Ji Z, Wu JD. Antibody targeting tumor-derived soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC reprograms NK cell homeostatic survival and function and enhances melanoma response to PDL1 blockade therapy. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:74. [PMID: 32517713 PMCID: PMC7285527 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00896-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanoma patients who have detectable serum soluble NKG2D ligands either at the baseline or post-treatment of PD1/PDL1 blockade exhibit poor overall survival. Among families of soluble human NKG2D ligands, the soluble human MHC I chain-related molecule (sMIC) was found to be elevated in melanoma patients and mostly associated with poor response to PD1/PDL1 blockade therapy. METHODS In this study, we aim to investigate whether co-targeting tumor-released sMIC enhances the therapeutic outcome of PD1/PDL1 blockade therapy for melanoma. We implanted sMIC-expressing B16F10 melanoma tumors into syngeneic host and evaluated therapeutic efficacy of anti-sMIC antibody and anti-PDL1 antibody combination therapy in comparison with monotherapy. We analyzed associated effector mechanism. We also assessed sMIC/MIC prevalence in metastatic human melanoma tumors. RESULTS We found that the combination therapy of the anti-PDL1 antibody with an antibody targeting sMIC significantly improved animal survival as compared to monotherapies and that the effect of combination therapy depends significantly on NK cells. We show that combination therapy significantly increased IL-2Rα (CD25) on NK cells which sensitizes NK cells to low dose IL-2 for survival. We demonstrate that sMIC negatively reprograms gene expression related to NK cell homeostatic survival and proliferation and that antibody clearing sMIC reverses the effect of sMIC and reprograms NK cell for survival. We further show that sMIC/MIC is abundantly present in metastatic human melanoma tumors. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide a pre-clinical proof-of-concept and a new mechanistic understanding to underscore the significance of antibody targeting sMIC to improve therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD1/PDL1 antibody for MIC/sMIC+ metastatic melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahmin Basher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Current address: Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Payal Dhar
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.,Driskill Graduate Program in Life Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Derek A Wainwright
- Driskill Graduate Program in Life Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.,Division of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jeffrey Sosman
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Zhe Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60628, USA
| | - Jennifer D Wu
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. .,Driskill Graduate Program in Life Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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24
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Melaiu O, Lucarini V, Cifaldi L, Fruci D. Influence of the Tumor Microenvironment on NK Cell Function in Solid Tumors. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3038. [PMID: 32038612 PMCID: PMC6985149 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are a population of innate lymphoid cells playing a pivotal role in host immune responses against infection and tumor growth. These cells have a powerful cytotoxic activity orchestrated by an intricate network of inhibitory and activating signals. The importance of NK cells in controlling tumor growth and in mediating a robust anti-metastatic effect has been demonstrated in different experimental mouse cancer models. Consistently, high density of tumor-infiltrating NK cells has been linked with a good prognosis in multiple human solid tumors. However, there are also tumors that appear to be refractory to NK cell-mediated killing for the presence of an immunosuppressive microenvironment affecting NK cell function. Immunotherapeutic strategies aimed at restoring and increasing the cytotoxic activity of NK cells in solid tumors, including the adoptive transfer of NK and CAR-NK cells, are currently employed in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we outline recent advances supporting the direct role of NK cells in controlling expansion of solid tumors and their prognostic value in human cancers. We summarize the mechanisms adopted by cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment to affect NK cell function, and finally we evaluate current strategies to augment the antitumor function of NK cells for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ombretta Melaiu
- Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Department, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Valeria Lucarini
- Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Department, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Cifaldi
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | - Doriana Fruci
- Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Department, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
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25
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Boettcher AN, Usman A, Morgans A, VanderWeele DJ, Sosman J, Wu JD. Past, Current, and Future of Immunotherapies for Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2019; 9:884. [PMID: 31572678 PMCID: PMC6749031 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men, and the second leading cause of cancer related death in men in Western countries. The standard therapy for metastatic PCa is androgen suppression therapy (AST). Men undergoing AST eventually develop metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), of which there are limited treatment options available. Immunotherapy has presented substantial benefits for many types of cancer, but only a marginal benefit for mCRPC, at least in part, due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Current clinical trials are investigating monotherapies or combination therapies involving adoptive cellular therapy, viral, DNA vaccines, oncolytic viruses, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Immunotherapies are also being combined with chemotherapy, radiation, and AST. Additionally, preclinical investigations show promise with the recent description of alternative ways to circumvent the immunosuppressive nature of the prostate tumor microenvironment, including harnessing the immune stimulatory NKG2D pathway, inhibiting myeloid derived suppressor cells, and utilizing immunomodulatory oncolytic viruses. Herein we provide an overview of recent preclinical and clinical developments in cancer immunotherapies and discuss the perspectives for future immunotherapies in PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline N. Boettcher
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ahmed Usman
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alicia Morgans
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - David J. VanderWeele
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jeffrey Sosman
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jennifer D. Wu
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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26
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Potential of the NKG2D/NKG2DL Axis in NK Cell-Mediated Clearance of the HIV-1 Reservoir. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184490. [PMID: 31514330 PMCID: PMC6770208 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral persistency in latently infected CD4+ T cells despite antiretroviral therapy (ART) represents a major drawback in the fight against HIV-1. Efforts to purge latent HIV-1 have been attempted using latency reversing agents (LRAs) that activate expression of the quiescent virus. However, initial trials have shown that immune responses of ART-treated patients are ineffective at clearing LRA-reactivated HIV-1 reservoirs, suggesting that an adjuvant immunotherapy is needed. Here we overview multiple lines of evidence indicating that natural killer (NK) cells have the potential to induce anti-HIV-1 responses relevant for virus eradication. In particular, we focus on the role of the NKG2D activating receptor that crucially enables NK cell-mediated killing of HIV-1-infected cells. We describe recent data indicating that LRAs can synergize with HIV-1 at upregulating ligands for NKG2D (NKG2DLs), hence sensitizing T cells that exit from viral latency for recognition and lysis by NK cells; in addition, we report in vivo and ex vivo data showing the potential benefits and drawbacks that LRAs may have on NKG2D expression and, more in general, on the cytotoxicity of NK cells. Finally, we discuss how the NKG2D/NKG2DLs axis can be exploited for the development of effective HIV-1 eradication strategies combining LRA-induced virus reactivation with recently optimized NK cell-based immunotherapies.
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27
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Zhang J, Larrocha PSL, Zhang B, Wainwright D, Dhar P, Wu JD. Antibody targeting tumor-derived soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC provides dual co-stimulation of CD8 T cells and enables sMIC + tumors respond to PD1/PD-L1 blockade therapy. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:223. [PMID: 31446896 PMCID: PMC6709558 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0693-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Insufficient co-stimulation accounts for a great deal of the suboptimal activation of cytotoxic CD8 T cells (CTLs) and presumably unsatisfactory clinical expectation of PD1/PD-L1 therapy. Tumor-derived soluble NKG2D ligands are associated with poor clinical response to PD1/PD-L1 blockade therapy in cancer patients. One of the mostly occurring tumor-derived soluble NKG2D ligands, the soluble MHC I chain related molecule (sMIC) can impair co-stimulation to CD8 T cells. We investigated whether co-targeting sMIC can provide optimal co-stimulation to CTLs and enhance the therapeutic effect of PD1/PD-L1 blockades. Methods Single agent therapy of a PD1/PD-L1 blockade antibody or a sMIC-targeting non-blocking antibody or a combination therapy of the two antibodies were implied to well-characterized pre-clinical MIC/sMIC+ tumor models that closely resemble the NKG2D-mediated oncoimmune dynamics of MIC+ cancer patients. Therapeutic efficacy and associated effector mechanisms were evaluated. Results We show that antibody co-targeting sMIC enables or enhances the response of sMIC+ tumors to PD1/PD-L1 blockade therapy. The therapy response of the combination therapy was associated with enhanced antigen-specific CD8 T cell enrichment and function in tumors. We show that co-targeting sMIC with a nonblocking antibody provides antigen-specific CD8 T cells with NKG2D and CD28 dual co-stimulation, in addition to elimination of inhibitory signals, and thus amplifies antigen-specific CD8 T cell anti-tumor responses. Conclusion Our findings provide the proof-of-concept rationale and previously undiscovered mechanisms for co-targeting sMIC to enable and enhance the response to PD1/PD-L1 blockade therapy in sMIC+ cancer patients. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40425-019-0693-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Bin Zhang
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Derek Wainwright
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Payal Dhar
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jennifer D Wu
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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28
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Nayyar G, Chu Y, Cairo MS. Overcoming Resistance to Natural Killer Cell Based Immunotherapies for Solid Tumors. Front Oncol 2019; 9:51. [PMID: 30805309 PMCID: PMC6378304 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the prognosis of several solid tumor malignancies remains poor. Different factors associated with solid tumors including a varied genetic signature, complex molecular signaling pathways, defective cross talk between the tumor cells and immune cells, hypoxic and immunosuppressive effects of tumor microenvironment result in a treatment resistant and metastatic phenotype. Over the past several years, immunotherapy has emerged as an attractive therapeutic option against multiple malignancies. The unique ability of natural killer (NK) cells to target cancer cells without antigen specificity makes them an ideal candidate for use against solid tumors. However, the outcomes of adoptive NK cell infusions into patients with solid tumors have been disappointing. Extensive studies have been done to investigate different strategies to improve the NK cell function, trafficking and tumor targeting. Use of cytokines and cytokine analogs has been well described and utilized to enhance the proliferation, stimulation and persistence of NK cells. Other techniques like blocking the human leukocyte antigen-killer cell receptors (KIR) interactions with anti-KIR monoclonal antibodies, preventing CD16 receptor shedding, increasing the expression of activating NK cell receptors like NKG2D, and use of immunocytokines and immune checkpoint inhibitors can enhance NK cell mediated cytotoxicity. Using genetically modified NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors and bispecific and trispecific NK cell engagers, NK cells can be effectively redirected to the tumor cells improving their cytotoxic potential. In this review, we have described these strategies and highlighted the need to further optimize these strategies to improve the clinical outcome of NK cell based immunotherapy against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Nayyar
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Yaya Chu
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Mitchell S Cairo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States.,Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States.,Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States.,Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
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29
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Barrow AD, Colonna M. Exploiting NK Cell Surveillance Pathways for Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11010055. [PMID: 30626155 PMCID: PMC6356551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells can evoke potent anti-tumour activity. This function is largely mediated through a battery of specialised cell-surface receptors which probe the tissue microenvironment for changes in surface and secretory phenotypes that may alert to the presence of infection or malignancy. These receptors have the potential to arouse the robust cytotoxic and cytokine-secreting functions of NK cells and so must be tightly regulated to prevent autoimmunity. However, such functions also hold great promise for clinical intervention. In this review, we highlight some of the latest breakthroughs in fundamental NK cell receptor biology that have illuminated our understanding of the molecular strategies NK cells employ to perceive malignant cells from normal healthy cells. Moreover, we highlight how these sophisticated tumour recognition strategies are being harnessed for cancer immunotherapies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander David Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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30
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Galluzzi L, Chan TA, Kroemer G, Wolchok JD, López-Soto A. The hallmarks of successful anticancer immunotherapy. Sci Transl Med 2018; 10:10/459/eaat7807. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat7807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 317] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is revolutionizing the clinical management of multiple tumors. However, only a fraction of patients with cancer responds to immunotherapy, and currently available immunotherapeutic agents are expensive and generally associated with considerable toxicity, calling for the identification of robust predictive biomarkers. The overall genomic configuration of malignant cells, potentially favoring the emergence of immunogenic tumor neoantigens, as well as specific mutations that compromise the ability of the immune system to recognize or eradicate the disease have been associated with differential sensitivity to immunotherapy in preclinical and clinical settings. Along similar lines, the type, density, localization, and functional orientation of the immune infiltrate have a prominent impact on anticancer immunity, as do features of the tumor microenvironment linked to the vasculature and stroma, and systemic factors including the composition of the gut microbiota. On the basis of these considerations, we outline the hallmarks of successful anticancer immunotherapy.
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31
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Dhar P, Wu JD. NKG2D and its ligands in cancer. Curr Opin Immunol 2018; 51:55-61. [PMID: 29525346 PMCID: PMC6145810 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
NKG2D is an activating immune receptor expressed by NK and effector T cells. Induced expression of NKG2D ligand on tumor cell surface during oncogenic insults renders cancer cells susceptible to immune destruction. In advanced human cancers, tumor cells shed NKG2D ligand to produce an immune soluble form as a means of immune evasion. Soluble NKG2D ligands have been associated with poor clinical prognosis in cancer patients. Harnessing NKG2D pathway is considered a viable avenue in cancer immunotherapy over recent years. In this review, we will discuss the progress and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payal Dhar
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago IL60611, United States; Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Northwestern University, Chicago IL60611, United States
| | - Jennifer D Wu
- Department of Urology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago IL60611, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago IL60611, United States; Robert Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago IL60611, United States.
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32
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Miyahira AK, Cheng HH, Abida W, Ellis L, Harshman LC, Spratt DE, Simons JW, Pienta KJ, Soule HR. Beyond the androgen receptor II: New approaches to understanding and treating metastatic prostate cancer; Report from the 2017 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting. Prostate 2017; 77:1478-1488. [PMID: 28925066 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 2017 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Beyond the Androgen Receptor II: New Approaches to Understanding and Treating Metastatic Prostate Cancer," was held in Carlsbad, California from June 14-17, 2017. METHODS The CHPCA is an annual scientific conference hosted by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) that is uniquely designed to produce extensive and constructive discussions on the most urgent and impactful topics concerning research into the biology and treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. The 2017 CHPCA Meeting was the 5th meeting in this annual series and was attended by 71 investigators focused on prostate cancer and a variety of other fields including breast and ovarian cancer. RESULTS The discussions at the meeting were concentrated on topics areas including: mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for molecular subclasses of castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the epigenetic landscape of prostate cancer, the role of DNA repair gene mutations, advancing the use of germline genetics in clinical practice, radionuclides for imaging and therapy, advances in molecular imaging, and therapeutic strategies for successful use of immunotherapy in advanced prostate cancer. DISCUSSION This article reviews the presentations and discussions from the 2017 CHPCA Meeting in order to disseminate this knowledge and accelerate new biological understandings and advances in the treatment of patients with metastatic prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heather H Cheng
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Wassim Abida
- Genitourinary Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Leigh Ellis
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren C Harshman
- Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel E Spratt
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | - Kenneth J Pienta
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Lam PY, Nissen MD, Mattarollo SR. Invariant Natural Killer T Cells in Immune Regulation of Blood Cancers: Harnessing Their Potential in Immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1355. [PMID: 29109728 PMCID: PMC5660073 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a unique innate T lymphocyte population that possess cytolytic properties and profound immunoregulatory activities. iNKT cells play an important role in the immune surveillance of blood cancers. They predominantly recognize glycolipid antigens presented on CD1d, but their activation and cytolytic activities are not confined to CD1d expressing cells. iNKT cell stimulation and subsequent production of immunomodulatory cytokines serve to enhance the overall antitumor immune response. Crucially, the activation of iNKT cells in cancer often precedes the activation and priming of other immune effector cells, such as NK cells and T cells, thereby influencing the generation and outcome of the antitumor immune response. Blood cancers can evade or dampen iNKT cell responses by downregulating expression of recognition receptors or by actively suppressing or diverting iNKT cell functions. This review will discuss literature on iNKT cell activity and associated dysregulation in blood cancers as well as highlight some of the strategies designed to harness and enhance iNKT cell functions against blood cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pui Yeng Lam
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael D. Nissen
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Stephen R. Mattarollo
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Zhang J, Liu D, Li G, Staveley-O’Carroll KF, Graff JN, Li Z, Wu JD. Antibody-mediated neutralization of soluble MIC significantly enhances CTLA4 blockade therapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1602133. [PMID: 28560327 PMCID: PMC5435412 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Antibody therapy targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) elicited survival benefits in cancer patients; however, the overall response rate is limited. In addition, anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy induces a high rate of immune-related adverse events. The underlying factors that may influence anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy are not well defined. We report the impact of a cancer-derived immune modulator, the human-soluble natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) ligand sMIC (soluble major histocompatibility complex I chain-related molecule), on the therapeutic outcome of anti-CTLA4 antibody using an MIC transgenic spontaneous TRAMP (transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate)/MIC tumor model. Unexpectedly, animals with elevated serum sMIC (sMIChi) responded poorly to anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy, with significantly shortened survival due to increased lung metastasis. These sMIChi animals also developed colitis in response to anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy. Coadministration of an sMIC-neutralizing monoclonal antibody with the anti-CTLA4 antibody alleviated treatment-induced colitis in sMIChi animals and generated a cooperative antitumor therapeutic effect by synergistically augmenting innate and adoptive antitumor immune responses. Our findings imply that a new combination therapy could improve the clinical response to anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy. Our findings also suggest that prescreening cancer patients for serum sMIC may help in selecting candidates who will elicit a better response to anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
- CanCure LLC, Everett, WA 98208, USA
| | - Dai Liu
- School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Guangfu Li
- School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | | | - Julie N. Graff
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Zihai Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
- Cancer Immunology Program, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Jennifer D. Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
- Cancer Immunology Program, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
- Corresponding author.
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Basher F, Jeng EK, Wong H, Wu J. Cooperative therapeutic anti-tumor effect of IL-15 agonist ALT-803 and co-targeting soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC. Oncotarget 2016; 7:814-30. [PMID: 26625316 PMCID: PMC4808035 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Shedding of the human NKG2D ligand MIC (MHC class I-chain-related molecule) from tumor cell surfaces correlates with progression of many epithelial cancers. Shedding-derived soluble MIC (sMIC) enables tumor immune escape through multiple immune suppressive mechanisms, such as disturbing natural killer (NK) cell homeostatic maintenance, impairing NKG2D expression on NK cells and effector T cells, and facilitating the expansion of arginase I+ myeloid suppressor cells. Our recent study has demonstrated that sMIC is an effective cancer therapeutic target. Whether targeting tumor-derived sMIC would enhance current active immunotherapy is not known. Here, we determined the in vivo therapeutic effect of an antibody co-targeting sMIC with the immunostimulatory IL-15 superagonist complex, ALT-803, using genetically engineered transplantable syngeneic sMIC+ tumor models. We demonstrate that combined therapy of a nonblocking antibody neutralizing sMIC and ALT-803 improved the survival of animals bearing sMIC+ tumors in comparison to monotherapy. We further demonstrate that the enhanced therapeutic effect with combined therapy is through concurrent augmentation of NK and CD8 T cell anti-tumor responses. In particular, expression of activation-induced surface molecules and increased functional potential by cytokine secretion are improved greatly by the administration of combined therapy. Depletion of NK cells abolished the cooperative therapeutic effect. Our findings suggest that administration of the sMIC-neutralizing antibody can enhance the anti-tumor effects of ALT-803. With ALT-803 currently in clinical trials to treat progressive solid tumors, the majority of which are sMIC+, our findings provide a rationale for co-targeting sMIC to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of ALT-803 or other IL-15 agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahmin Basher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Hing Wong
- Altor BioSciences Corporation, Miramar, FL, USA
| | - Jennifer Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Cancer Immunology Program, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, SC, USA.,CanCure LLC, Everett, WA, USA
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Wu J. Antibody targeting soluble NKG2D ligand sMIC refuels and invigorates the endogenous immune system to fight cancer. Oncoimmunology 2015; 5:e1095434. [PMID: 27141357 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2015.1095434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tumor-derived soluble NKG2D sMIC paralyzes the immune system through multiple pathways. Targeting soluble MIC with a nonblocking sMIC-neutralizing anti-MIC antibody effectuated and revamped endogenous innate and adoptive antitumor responses. Therapy induced regression of primary tumors and eliminated metastasis in preclinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Cancer Immunology Program, Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, SC, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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