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Lefler DS, Manobianco SA, Bashir B. Immunotherapy resistance in solid tumors: mechanisms and potential solutions. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2315655. [PMID: 38389121 PMCID: PMC10896138 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2315655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
While the emergence of immunotherapies has fundamentally altered the management of solid tumors, cancers exploit many complex biological mechanisms that result in resistance to these agents. These encompass a broad range of cellular activities - from modification of traditional paradigms of immunity via antigen presentation and immunoregulation to metabolic modifications and manipulation of the tumor microenvironment. Intervening on these intricate processes may provide clinical benefit in patients with solid tumors by overcoming resistance to immunotherapies, which is why it has become an area of tremendous research interest with practice-changing implications. This review details the major ways cancers avoid both natural immunity and immunotherapies through primary (innate) and secondary (acquired) mechanisms of resistance, and it considers available and emerging therapeutic approaches to overcoming immunotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S. Lefler
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Steven A. Manobianco
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Babar Bashir
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Xiao FK, Wang L. Comprehensive Analysis of Expression and Pathway for CD27 in Esophageal Cancer. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:2087-2094. [PMID: 37584826 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00850-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
CD27 as a marker of memory B cells is belong to the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, CD27 is ligated by CD70, they can co-stimulate T-cell growth and differentiation through their interaction. Uncertainty surrounds CD27's function in esophageal cancer (EC). This study investigated the role of CD27 in the prognosis of EC using the TCGA, cbioportal, linkedomics and GEPIA databases as well as the proliferation assay was applied. CD27 differential expression may be a key factor in the development of EC. different level of CD27 expression in EC has profound impacts on TOR complex, and many kinds of kinase (KIT proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase, transforming growth factor beta receptor 1, and G protein-coupled receptor kinase 3.), as well as the cell membrane, and survival analysis revealed that it had a significant impact on both the overall survival and disease-free survival of EC. CD27 overexpression will suppress the viability of the KYSE150 and TE3 cells. Our findings suggested that the degree of CD27 expression could serve as an esophageal cancer prognosis biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan-Kai Xiao
- Oncology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Lin Wang
- Internet Medical and System Applications of National Engineering Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
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Arifin MZ, Leitner J, Egan D, Waidhofer-Söllner P, Kolch W, Zhernovkov V, Steinberger P. BTLA and PD-1 signals attenuate TCR-mediated transcriptomic changes. iScience 2024; 27:110253. [PMID: 39021788 PMCID: PMC11253514 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110253] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell co-inhibitory immune checkpoints, such as PD-1 or BTLA, are bona fide targets in cancer therapy. We used a human T cell reporter line to measure transcriptomic changes mediated by PD-1- and BTLA-induced signaling. T cell receptor (TCR)-complex stimulation resulted in the upregulation of a large number of genes but also in repression of a similar number of genes. PD-1 and BTLA signals attenuated transcriptomic changes mediated by TCR-complex signaling: upregulated genes tended to be suppressed and the expression of a significant number of downregulated genes was higher during PD-1 or BTLA signaling. BTLA was a significantly stronger attenuator of TCR-complex-induced transcriptome changes than PD-1. A strong overlap between genes that were regulated indicated quantitative rather than qualitative differences between these receptors. In line with their function as attenuators of TCR-complex-mediated changes, we found strongly regulated genes to be prime targets of PD-1 and BTLA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zainul Arifin
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Judith Leitner
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Donagh Egan
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Petra Waidhofer-Söllner
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Kolch
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Vadim Zhernovkov
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Peter Steinberger
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Lim SH, Beers SA, Al-Shamkhani A, Cragg MS. Agonist Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy: History, Hopes, and Challenges. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1712-1723. [PMID: 38153346 PMCID: PMC7615925 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is among the most promising new treatment modalities to arise over the last two decades; antibody drugs are delivering immunotherapy to millions of patients with many different types of cancer. Initial success with antibody therapeutics came in the form of direct targeting or cytotoxic antibodies, such as rituximab and trastuzumab, which bind directly to tumor cells to elicit their destruction. These were followed by immunomodulatory antibodies that elicit antitumor responses by either stimulating immune cells or relieving tumor-mediated suppression. By far the most successful approach in the clinic to date has been relieving immune suppression, with immune checkpoint blockade now a standard approach in the treatment of many cancer types. Despite equivalent and sometimes even more impressive effects in preclinical models, agonist antibodies designed to stimulate the immune system have lagged behind in their clinical translation. In this review, we document the main receptors that have been targeted by agonist antibodies, consider the various approaches that have been evaluated to date, detail what we have learned, and consider how their anticancer potential can be unlocked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean H. Lim
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Stephen A. Beers
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Aymen Al-Shamkhani
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Mark S. Cragg
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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Saijo A, Ogino H, Butowski NA, Tedesco MR, Gibson D, Watchmaker PB, Okada K, Wang AS, Shai A, Salazar AM, Molinaro AM, Rabbitt JE, Shahin M, Perry A, Clarke JL, Taylor JW, Daras M, Oberheim Bush NA, Hervey-Jumper SL, Phillips JJ, Chang SM, Hilf N, Mayer-Mokler A, Keler T, Berger MS, Okada H. A combinatory vaccine with IMA950 plus varlilumab promotes effector memory T-cell differentiation in the peripheral blood of patients with low-grade gliomas. Neuro Oncol 2024; 26:335-347. [PMID: 37758193 PMCID: PMC10836773 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central nervous system (CNS) WHO grade 2 low-grade glioma (LGG) patients are at high risk for recurrence and with unfavorable long-term prognosis due to the treatment resistance and malignant transformation to high-grade glioma. Considering the relatively intact systemic immunity and slow-growing nature, immunotherapy may offer an effective treatment option for LGG patients. METHODS We conducted a prospective, randomized pilot study to evaluate the safety and immunological response of the multipeptide IMA950 vaccine with agonistic anti-CD27 antibody, varlilumab, in CNS WHO grade 2 LGG patients. Patients were randomized to receive combination therapy with IMA950 + poly-ICLC and varlilumab (Arm 1) or IMA950 + poly-ICLC (Arm 2) before surgery, followed by adjuvant vaccines. RESULTS A total of 14 eligible patients were enrolled in the study. Four patients received pre-surgery vaccines but were excluded from postsurgery vaccines due to the high-grade diagnosis of the resected tumor. No regimen-limiting toxicity was observed. All patients demonstrated a significant increase of anti-IMA950 CD8+ T-cell response postvaccine in the peripheral blood, but no IMA950-reactive CD8+ T cells were detected in the resected tumor. Mass cytometry analyses revealed that adding varlilumab promoted T helper type 1 effector memory CD4+ and effector memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation in the PBMC but not in the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION The combinational immunotherapy, including varlilumab, was well-tolerated and induced vaccine-reactive T-cell expansion in the peripheral blood but without a detectable response in the tumor. Further developments of strategies to overcome the blood-tumor barrier are warranted to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for LGG patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuro Saijo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Tokushima Prefecture Naruto Hospital, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Ogino
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Respiratory Medicine & Rheumatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Nicholas A Butowski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Meghan R Tedesco
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David Gibson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Payal B Watchmaker
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kaori Okada
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Albert S Wang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anny Shai
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Annette M Molinaro
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jane E Rabbitt
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maryam Shahin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Arie Perry
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer L Clarke
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jennie W Taylor
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mariza Daras
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nancy Ann Oberheim Bush
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shawn L Hervey-Jumper
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joanna J Phillips
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Susan M Chang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Norbert Hilf
- Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Mayer-Mokler
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tibor Keler
- Celldex Theraepeutics, Inc., Hampton, NJ, USA
| | - Mitchel S Berger
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hideho Okada
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Su S, Chen F, Lv X, Qi L, Ding Z, Ren W, Wei M, Liu Y, Yu L, Liu B, Wang L. Predictive value of peripheral blood biomarkers in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer responding to anti-PD-1-based treatment. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:12. [PMID: 38231411 PMCID: PMC10794255 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03620-2] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The introduction of the anti-PD-1 antibody has greatly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of PD-1 antibody-based therapy in patients with locally advanced inoperable or metastatic NSCLC and reported an association between peripheral blood biomarkers and clinical response in these patients. METHODS This single-center study included medical record data of patients with NSCLC treated with the PD-1 antibody as a first-line or subsequent line of treatment, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy. The patients were enrolled from 2020 to 2022. We dynamically evaluated multiple Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the blood serum and analyzed the phenotype of T cells from the peripheral blood to explore the correlation between cytokine levels, T cell phenotypes, and clinical response. RESULTS A total of 88 patients with stage IIIA-IV NSCLC were enrolled, out of which 60 (68.18%) achieved a partial response (PR), 13 (14.77%) had stable disease (SD), and 15 (17.05%) experienced disease progression (PD). The disease control rate was 82.95%. Our results suggested a significant reduction (P = 0.002, P < 0.005) in lymphocyte absolute counts after treatment in patients with PD. Higher levels of IFN-γ (P = 0.023, P < 0.05), TNF-α (P = 0.00098, P < 0.005), IL-4 (P = 0.0031, P < 0.005), IL-5 (P = 0.0015, P < 0.005), and IL-10 (P = 0.036, P < 0.05) were detected in the peripheral blood before treatment in the PR group compared to the PD group. Moreover, patients with high levels of IL-5, IL-13, IL-4, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α (> 10 ng/mL) had superior progression-free survival compared to those with low levels (< 10 ng/mL). Furthermore, PD-1 expression on CD8+ T cells was higher in patients who showed a PR than in those who did not show a response (SD + PD; P = 0.042, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study imply that the decrease in absolute blood lymphocyte counts after treatment is correlated with disease progression. Serum cytokine levels may predict the effectiveness and survival rates of anti-PD-1 blockade therapy in patients with NSCLC. In addition, PD-1 expression on CD8+ T cells was positively associated with better clinical response. Our findings highlight the potential of peripheral blood biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of PD-1-targeted treatments in patients with NSCLC. Larger prospective studies are warranted to further clarify the value of these biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Su
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fungjun Chen
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Lv
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liang Qi
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhou Ding
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Ren
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming Wei
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ye Liu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lixia Yu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Baorui Liu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210032, Jiangsu, China.
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SU S, LV X, QI L, WEI M, LIU B, WANG L. [Predictive Value of Peripheral Blood Biomarkers in the Treatment of
Lung Cancer Patients with Anti PD-1 Immunotherapy]. ZHONGGUO FEI AI ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF LUNG CANCER 2024; 26:901-909. [PMID: 38163976 PMCID: PMC10767665 DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2023.102.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies has greatly improved the clinical outcomes of lung cancer patients. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of PD-1 antibody therapy in locally advanced non-surgical or metastatic lung cancer patients, and preliminarily explored the correlation between peripheral blood biomarkers and clinical responses. METHODS We conducted a single center study that included 61 IIIA-IV lung cancer patients who received PD-1 antibody treatment from March 2020 to December 2021, and collected the medical record data on PD-1 antibody first-line or second-line treatment. The levels of multiple Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the patient's peripheral blood serum, as well as the phenotype of peripheral blood T cells, were detected and analyzed. RESULTS All the patients completed at least 2 cycles of PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment. Among them, 42 patients (68.9%) achieved partial response (PR); 7 patients (11.5%) had stable disease (SD); and 12 patients (19.7%) had progressive disease (PD). The levels of peripheral blood interferon gamma (IFN-γ) (P=0.023), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) (P=0.007) and interleukin 5 (IL-5) (P=0.002) before treatment were higher in patients of the disease control rate (DCR) (PR+SD) group than in the PD group. In addition, the decrease in absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte count after PD-1 antibody treatment was associated with disease progression (P=0.023). Moreover, the levels of IL-5 (P=0.0027) and IL-10 (P=0.0208) in the blood serum after immunotherapy were significantly increased compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS Peripheral blood serum IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-5 in lung cancer patients have certain roles in predicting the clinical efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. The decrease in absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte count in lung cancer patients is related to disease progression, but large-scale prospective studies are needed to further elucidate the value of these biomarkers.
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Dadas O, Allen JD, Buchan SL, Kim J, Chan HTC, Mockridge CI, Duriez PJ, Rogel A, Crispin M, Al-Shamkhani A. Fcγ receptor binding is required for maximal immunostimulation by CD70-Fc. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1252274. [PMID: 37965342 PMCID: PMC10641686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1252274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction T cell expressed CD27 provides costimulation upon binding to inducible membrane expressed trimeric CD70 and is required for protective CD8 T cell responses. CD27 agonists could therefore be used to bolster cellular vaccines and anti-tumour immune responses. To date, clinical development of CD27 agonists has focussed on anti-CD27 antibodies with little attention given to alternative approaches. Methods Here, we describe the generation and activity of soluble variants of CD70 that form either trimeric (t) or dimer-of-trimer proteins and conduct side-by-side comparisons with an agonist anti-CD27 antibody. To generate a dimer-of-trimer protein (dt), we fused three extracellular domains of CD70 to the Fc domain of mouse IgG1 in a 'string of beads' configuration (dtCD70-Fc). Results Whereas tCD70 failed to costimulate CD8 T cells, both dtCD70-Fc and an agonist anti-CD27 antibody were capable of enhancing T cell proliferation in vitro. Initial studies demonstrated that dtCD70-Fc was less efficacious than anti-CD27 in boosting a CD8 T cell vaccine response in vivo, concomitant with rapid clearance of dtCD70-Fc from the circulation. The accelerated plasma clearance of dtCD70-Fc was not due to the lack of neonatal Fc receptor binding but was dependent on the large population of oligomannose type glycosylation. Enzymatic treatment to reduce the oligomannose-type glycans in dtCD70-Fc improved its half-life and significantly enhanced its T cell stimulatory activity in vivo surpassing that of anti-CD27 antibody. We also show that whereas the ability of the anti-CD27 to boost a vaccine response was abolished in Fc gamma receptor (FcγR)-deficient mice, dtCD70-Fc remained active. By comparing the activity of dtCD70-Fc with a variant (dtCD70-Fc(D265A)) that lacks binding to FcγRs, we unexpectedly found that FcγR binding to dtCD70-Fc was required for maximal boosting of a CD8 T cell response in vivo. Interestingly, both dtCD70-Fc and dtCD70-Fc(D265A) were effective in prolonging the survival of mice harbouring BCL1 B cell lymphoma, demonstrating that a substantial part of the stimulatory activity of dtCD70-Fc in this setting is retained in the absence of FcγR interaction. Discussion These data reveal that TNFRSF ligands can be generated with a tunable activity profile and suggest that this class of immune agonists could have broad applications in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osman Dadas
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, European University of Lefke, Lefke, Cyprus
| | - Joel D. Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah L. Buchan
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jinny Kim
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - H. T. Claude Chan
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - C. Ian Mockridge
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick J. Duriez
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Rogel
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aymen Al-Shamkhani
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Liang Y, Wang H, Luo B. Exploration and analysis of differentially expressed genes in Epstein-Barr virus negative and positive plasmablastic lymphoma. Clin Transl Oncol 2023; 25:2884-2891. [PMID: 36991219 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03150-4] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) often associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Despite recent advances in treatment, PBL still has a poor prognosis. EBV is listed as one of the human tumor viruses that may cause cancer, and is closely related to the occurrence of some nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), lymphoma and 10% of gastric cancer (GC). It is very important to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between EBV-positive and EBV-negative PBL. Through bioinformatics analysis of DEGs between EBV-positive PBL and EBV-negative PBL, we gain a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of EBV-positive PBL. METHODS We selected the GSE102203 data set, and screened the DEGs between EBV-positive PBL and EBV-negative PBL. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were applied. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and screened for the hub genes. Finally, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed. RESULTS In EBV-positive PBL, the immune-related pathway is upregulated and Cluster of differentiation 27 (CD27) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are hub genes. CONCLUSIONS In EBV-positive PBL, EBV may affect tumorigenesis through activation of immune-related pathways and upregulation of CD27, PD-L1. Immune checkpoint blockers of CD70/CD27 and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathways may be one of the effective strategies for the treatment of EBV-positive PBL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, No.308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Hanqing Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, No.308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Bing Luo
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, No.308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China.
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Hipp AV, Bengsch B, Globig AM. Friend or Foe - Tc17 cell generation and current evidence for their importance in human disease. DISCOVERY IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 2:kyad010. [PMID: 38567057 PMCID: PMC10917240 DOI: 10.1093/discim/kyad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The term Tc17 cells refers to interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing CD8+ T cells. While IL-17 is an important mediator of mucosal defense, it is also centrally involved in driving the inflammatory response in immune-mediated diseases, such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. In this review, we aim to gather the current knowledge on the phenotypic and transcriptional profile, the in vitro and in vivo generation of Tc17 cells, and the evidence pointing towards a relevant role of Tc17 cells in human diseases such as infectious diseases, cancer, and immune-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Veronika Hipp
- Clinic for Internal Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bertram Bengsch
- Clinic for Internal Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Globig
- Clinic for Internal Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
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11
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Melo V, Nelemans LC, Vlaming M, Lourens HJ, Wiersma VR, Bilemjian V, Huls G, de Bruyn M, Bremer E. EGFR-selective activation of CD27 co-stimulatory signaling by a bispecific antibody enhances anti-tumor activity of T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1191866. [PMID: 37545491 PMCID: PMC10399592 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1191866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A higher density of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the tumor microenvironment, particularly cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, is associated with improved clinical outcome in various cancers. However, local inhibitory factors can suppress T cell activity and hinder anti-tumor immunity. Notably, TILs from various cancer types express the co-stimulatory Tumor Necrosis Factor receptor CD27, making it a potential target for co-stimulation and re-activation of tumor-infiltrated and tumor-reactive T cells. Anti-cancer therapeutics based on exploiting CD27-mediated T cell co-stimulation have proven safe, but clinical responses remain limited. This is likely because current monoclonal antibodies fail to effectively activate CD27 signaling, as this receptor requires higher-order receptor cross-linking. Here, we report on a bispecific antibody, CD27xEGFR, that targets both CD27 and the tumor antigen, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). By targeting EGFR, which is commonly expressed on carcinomas, CD27xEGFR induced cancer cell-localized crosslinking and activation of CD27. The design of CD27xEGFR includes an Fc-silent domain, which is designed to minimize potential toxicity by reducing Fc gamma receptor-mediated binding and activation of immune cells. CD27xEGFR bound to both of its targets simultaneously and triggered EGFR-restricted co-stimulation of T cells as measured by T cell proliferation, T cell activation markers, cytotoxicity and IFN-γ release. Further, CD27xEGFR augmented T cell cytotoxicity in a panel of artificial antigen-presenting carcinoma cell line models, leading to Effector-to-Target ratio-dependent elimination of cancer cells. Taken together, we present the in vitro characterization of a novel bispecific antibody that re-activates T cell immunity in EGFR-expressing cancers through targeted co-stimulation of CD27.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicio Melo
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Levi Collin Nelemans
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Martijn Vlaming
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Harm Jan Lourens
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Valerie R. Wiersma
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Vrouyr Bilemjian
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Gerwin Huls
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marco de Bruyn
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Edwin Bremer
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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12
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Luo Z, Xu J, Xu D, Xu J, Zhou R, Deng K, Chen Z, Zou F, Yao L, Hu Y. Mechanism of immune escape mediated by receptor tyrosine kinase KIT in thyroid cancer. Immun Inflamm Dis 2023; 11:e851. [PMID: 37506147 PMCID: PMC10336654 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the fastest-growing malignant tumors. This study sought to explore the mechanism of immune escape mediated by receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT) in TC. METHODS The expression microarray of TC was acquired through the GEO database, and the difference analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis were carried out. KIT levels in TC cell lines (K1/SW579/BCPAP) and human normal thyroid cells were detected using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. TC cells were transfected with overexpressed (oe)-KIT and CD8+ T cells were cocultured with SW579 cells. Subsequently, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities, CD8+ T cell proliferation, cytokine levels (interferon-γ [IFN-γ]/tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α]) were determined using colony formation assay, Transwell assays, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The phosphorylation of MAPK pathway-related protein (ERK) was measured by western blot analysis. After transfection with oe-KIT, cells were treated with anisomycin (an activator of the MAPK pathway), and the protein levels of p-ERK/ERK and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) were detected. RESULTS Differentially expressed genes (N = 2472) were obtained from the GEO database. KIT was reduced in TC samples and lower in tumor cells than those in normal cells. Overexpression of KIT inhibited immune escape of TC cells. Specifically, the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of TC cells were lowered, the proliferation level of CD8+ T cells was elevated, and IFN-γ and TNF-α levels were increased. KIT inhibited the activation of the MAPK pathway in TC cells and downregulated PD-L1. CONCLUSION KIT suppressed immune escape of TC by blocking the activation of the MAPK pathway and downregulating PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dayong Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiaojiao Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Rongjun Zhou
- Department of Surgery, Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Keping Deng
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fang Zou
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Libo Yao
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yuqin Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
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13
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Ziogas DC, Theocharopoulos C, Lialios PP, Foteinou D, Koumprentziotis IA, Xynos G, Gogas H. Beyond CTLA-4 and PD-1 Inhibition: Novel Immune Checkpoint Molecules for Melanoma Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2718. [PMID: 37345056 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
More than ten years after the approval of ipilimumab, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) against PD-1 and CTLA-4 have been established as the most effective treatment for locally advanced or metastatic melanoma, achieving durable responses either as monotherapies or in combinatorial regimens. However, a considerable proportion of patients do not respond or experience early relapse, due to multiple parameters that contribute to melanoma resistance. The expression of other immune checkpoints beyond the PD-1 and CTLA-4 molecules remains a major mechanism of immune evasion. The recent approval of anti-LAG-3 ICI, relatlimab, in combination with nivolumab for metastatic disease, has capitalized on the extensive research in the field and has highlighted the potential for further improvement of melanoma prognosis by synergistically blocking additional immune targets with new ICI-doublets, antibody-drug conjugates, or other novel modalities. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of presently published immune checkpoint molecules, including LAG-3, TIGIT, TIM-3, VISTA, IDO1/IDO2/TDO, CD27/CD70, CD39/73, HVEM/BTLA/CD160 and B7-H3. Beginning from their immunomodulatory properties as co-inhibitory or co-stimulatory receptors, we present all therapeutic modalities targeting these molecules that have been tested in melanoma treatment either in preclinical or clinical settings. Better understanding of the checkpoint-mediated crosstalk between melanoma and immune effector cells is essential for generating more effective strategies with augmented immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios C Ziogas
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Charalampos Theocharopoulos
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis-Petros Lialios
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Foteinou
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis-Alexios Koumprentziotis
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Xynos
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Helen Gogas
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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14
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Cagnet L, Neyrinck-Leglantier D, Tamagne M, Berradhia L, Khelfa M, Cleophax S, Pirenne F, Vingert B. CD27+ microparticle interactions and immunoregulation of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1043255. [PMID: 36969173 PMCID: PMC10034125 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1043255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAplasia and hematological malignancies are treated with platelet transfusions, which can have major immunomodulatory effects. Platelet concentrates (PCs) contain many immunomodulatory elements, including the platelets themselves, residual leukocytes, extracellular vesicles, such as microparticles (MPs), cytokines and other soluble elements. Two of these components, MPs and a soluble form of CD27 (sCD27), have been shown to play a particularly important role in immune system modulation. The loss of CD27 expression is an irreversible marker of terminal effector CD3+ T-lymphocyte (TL) differentiation, and the CD27+ MPs present in PCs may maintain CD27 expression on the surface of TLs, and, thus, the activation of these cells.MethodsIn this study, we phenotyped the CD27-expressing MPs present in PCs by microscale flow cytometry and investigated the interaction of these particles with CD4+ TLs. We cocultured MPs and PBMCs and determined the origin of the CD27 expressed on the surface of CD4+ TLs with the aid of two fluorochromes (BV510 for CD27 originating from MPs and BV786 for cellular CD27).ResultsWe showed that the binding of CD27- expressing MPs involved the CD70 molecule, which was also present on these MPs. Finally, the maintenance of CD27 expression on the surface of TLs by sorted CD27+ MPs led to activation levels lower than those observed with other types of MPs.DiscussionThese results for CD27-expressing MPs and their CD70-mediated targeting open up new possibilities for immunotherapy based on the use of MPs to maintain a phenotype or to target immune cells, for example. Moreover, decreasing the levels of CD27-expressing MPs in transfused platelets might also increase the chances of success for anti-CD27 monoclonal immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léonie Cagnet
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Déborah Neyrinck-Leglantier
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Marie Tamagne
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Lylia Berradhia
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Mehdi Khelfa
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | | | - France Pirenne
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Benoît Vingert
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM, IMRB, Creteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, Ivry sur Seine, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Benoît Vingert,
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15
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Guo M, Li F, Zhao L, Fang Z, Yu H, Songyang Z, Xiong Y. Pan-cancer investigation of C-to-U editing reveals its important role in cancer development and new targets for cancer treatment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1097667. [PMID: 36969056 PMCID: PMC10034049 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1097667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA editing is prevalent in the transcriptome and is important for multiple cellular processes. C-to-U RNA editing sites (RES) are relatively rare and understudied in humans, compared to A-to-I editing. However, the functional impact of C-to-U editing in human cancers also remains elusive. Here, we conducted the first comprehensive survey of pan-cancer C-to-U RESs. Surprisingly, we found that the same subset of RESs were associated with multiple features, including patient survival, cancer stemness, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and tumor-infiltrated immune cell compositions (ICC), suggesting an RES-mediated close relationship between these features. For example, editing sites for GALM or IFI6 that led to higher expression were linked to lower survival and more cancer stemness. Also, TMB was found to be lower in prostate cancer cases with ICC-associated RESs in CAVIN1 or VWA8 or higher in prostate cancer cases with thymoma. With experimental support, we also found RESs in CST3, TPI1, or TNC that are linked to immune checkpoint blockade by anti-PD1. We also confirmed through experiments that two C-to-U RESs in CSNK2B or RPS14 had different effects on colon cancer cells. Patients with CSNK2B editing, which increased the expression of the oncogene CLDN18, had a lower response to drugs. On the other hand, drugs worked better on people who had RPS14 editing, which greatly increased ribosome production. In summary, our study demonstrated the important roles of C-to-U RESs across cancers and shed light on personalized cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengbiao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feng Li
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linghao Zhao
- Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengwen Fang
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huichuan Yu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhou Songyang
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yuanyan Xiong,
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16
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Ni JJ, Zhang ZZ, Ge MJ, Chen JY, Zhuo W. Immune-based combination therapy to convert immunologically cold tumors into hot tumors: an update and new insights. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2023; 44:288-307. [PMID: 35927312 PMCID: PMC9889774 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-00953-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
As a breakthrough strategy for cancer treatment, immunotherapy mainly consists of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and other immunomodulatory drugs that provide a durable protective antitumor response by stimulating the immune system to fight cancer. However, due to the low response rate and unique toxicity profiles of immunotherapy, the strategies of combining immunotherapy with other therapies have attracted enormous attention. These combinations are designed to exert potent antitumor effects by regulating different processes in the cancer-immunity cycle. To date, immune-based combination therapy has achieved encouraging results in numerous clinical trials and has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for certain cancers with more studies underway. This review summarizes the emerging strategies of immune-based combination therapy, including combinations with another immunotherapeutic strategy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, targeted therapy, bacterial therapy, and stroma-targeted therapy. Here, we highlight the rationale of immune-based combination therapy, the biomarkers and the clinical progress for these immune-based combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao-Jiao Ni
- Department of Cell Biology and Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institution of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zi-Zhen Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institution of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ming-Jie Ge
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Jing-Yu Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institution of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wei Zhuo
- Department of Cell Biology and Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
- Institution of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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17
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Song Y, Wang J, Wang Y, Wu L, You Y, Song D, Chen L, Meng G, He X, Cui T, Wang X, Yin Q, Wang Z. PD-1 blockade and lenalidomide combination therapy for chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection. Clin Microbiol Infect 2023:S1198-743X(23)00039-3. [PMID: 36702399 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is a prototype of EBV-associated T-or NK-cell lymphoproliferative diseases. It is a disease with poor outcome. Almost all current therapies are ineffective except of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS We investigated the efficacy and safety of programmed death 1 (PD-1) blockade (Sintilimab), combined with lenalidomide, which is an immunomodulatory drug, in an open-label, single-center, prospective study involving CAEBV patients. PD1 blockade 2mg/kg was given every two weeks by intravenous infusion on day 1, and lenalidomide 5mg (age<18 years)/10mg (age ≥ 18 years) was given orally once a day on day 1-14. RESULTS As of Nov 15, 2020, 34 patients were enrolled. As of the Feb 1, 2021 analysis cut-off date, 24 cases completed at least 3 courses and were assessed for efficacy. The overall response rate is 54.2% (13/24, 45.8% complete response; 8.3% partial response). EBV-DNA copies in PBMC decreased significantly (p = 0.002). The proportion of CD8+T cells in lymphocytes increased (p = 0.007). The comparative analysis between response group and non-response group showed the proportion of Effector Memory CD8+ T cells and cytokines of CTLs activation (IFN-γ, CD27, CD30, MIG, IP-10) increased significantly in Response-group after treatment. Whole-exome sequencing generated from peripheral blood and saliva samples reveal that Non-Response group had a higher somatic mutational load of copy number variation in background. With a median follow-up time of 17.8 months, 22 of 24 patients were alive with an estimated survival probability of 91.3% at 1 year. All 34 patients were assessed for safety evaluation. The possible drug-related adverse events were reported in 17 (50%) patients. CONCLUSIONS PD-1 blockade combined with lenalidomide was an effective and safe therapy for CAEBV patients. The significant therapeutic effect and the different characteristics between response and non-response group, provides a possible predictive value for CAEBV treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Song
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingshi Wang
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yini Wang
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yahong You
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Deli Song
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Leilei Chen
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Gaungqiang Meng
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodan He
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Cui
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodi Wang
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qingxia Yin
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of Hematology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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18
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Ye Q, Guo NL. Hub Genes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Regulatory Networks. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1782. [PMID: 36551208 PMCID: PMC9776006 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
There are currently no accurate biomarkers for optimal treatment selection in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Novel therapeutic targets are needed to improve NSCLC survival outcomes. This study systematically evaluated the association between genome-scale regulatory network centralities and NSCLC tumorigenesis, proliferation, and survival in early-stage NSCLC patients. Boolean implication networks were used to construct multimodal networks using patient DNA copy number variation, mRNA, and protein expression profiles. T statistics of differential gene/protein expression in tumors versus non-cancerous adjacent tissues, dependency scores in in vitro CRISPR-Cas9/RNA interference (RNAi) screening of human NSCLC cell lines, and hazard ratios in univariate Cox modeling of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) NSCLC patients were correlated with graph theory centrality metrics. Hub genes in multi-omics networks involving gene/protein expression were associated with oncogenic, proliferative potentials and poor patient survival outcomes (p < 0.05, Pearson's correlation). Immunotherapy targets PD1, PDL1, CTLA4, and CD27 were ranked as top hub genes within the 10th percentile in most constructed multi-omics networks. BUB3, DNM1L, EIF2S1, KPNB1, NMT1, PGAM1, and STRAP were discovered as important hub genes in NSCLC proliferation with oncogenic potential. These results support the importance of hub genes in NSCLC tumorigenesis, proliferation, and prognosis, with implications in prioritizing therapeutic targets to improve patient survival outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ye
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Nancy Lan Guo
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
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19
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Benhamouda N, Sam I, Epaillard N, Gey A, Phan L, Pham HP, Gruel N, Saldmann A, Pineau J, Hasan M, Quiniou V, Nevoret C, Verkarre V, Libri V, Mella S, Granier C, Broudin C, Ravel P, De Guillebon E, Mauge L, Helley D, Jabla B, Chaput N, Albiges L, Katsahian S, Adam J, Mejean A, Adotevi O, Vano YA, Oudard S, Tartour E. Plasma CD27, a Surrogate of the Intratumoral CD27-CD70 Interaction, Correlates with Immunotherapy Resistance in Renal Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:4983-4994. [PMID: 36067339 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-0905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE CD70 is a costimulatory molecule known to activate CD27-expressing T cells. CD27-CD70 interaction leads to the release of soluble CD27 (sCD27). Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) expresses the highest levels of CD70 among all solid tumors; however, the clinical consequences of CD70 expression remain unclear. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Tumor tissue from 25 patients with ccRCC was assessed for the expression of CD27 and CD70 in situ using multiplex immunofluorescence. CD27+ T-cell phenotypes in tumors were analyzed by flow cytometry and their gene expression profile were analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing then confirmed with public data. Baseline sCD27 was measured in 81 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with immunotherapy (35 for training cohort and 46 for validation cohort). RESULTS In the tumor microenvironment, CD27+ T cells interacted with CD70-expressing tumor cells. Compared with CD27- T cells, CD27+ T cells exhibited an apoptotic and dysfunctional signature. In patients with RCC, the intratumoral CD27-CD70 interaction was significantly correlated with the plasma sCD27 concentration. High sCD27 levels predicted poor overall survival in patients with RCC treated with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 in both the training and validation cohorts but not in patients treated with antiangiogenic therapy. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, we demonstrated that sCD27, a surrogate marker of T-cell dysfunction, is a predictive biomarker of resistance to immunotherapy in RCC. Given the frequent expression of CD70 and CD27 in solid tumors, our findings may be extended to other tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Benhamouda
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Immunology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Paris, France
| | - Ikuan Sam
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France
| | | | - Alain Gey
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Immunology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Paris, France
| | - Letuan Phan
- ARTIC (Association pour la Recherche sur les Thérapeutiques Innovantes en Cancérologie), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Hang Phuong Pham
- Department of Computational Biology, Parean Biotechnologies, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Nadège Gruel
- INSERM U830, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Diversity and Plasticity of Childhood Tumors Lab, PSL Research University, Institut Curie Research Center, Paris, France.,Department of Translational Research, PSL Research University, Institut Curie Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Antonin Saldmann
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Immunology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Paris, France
| | - Joséphine Pineau
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Immunology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Paris, France
| | - Milena Hasan
- Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, Center for Translational Science, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Valentin Quiniou
- Department of Computational Biology, Parean Biotechnologies, Saint-Malo, France
| | - Camille Nevoret
- Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, UMRS 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Centre d'Investigation Clinique1418, APHP, HEGP, Paris, France
| | - Virginie Verkarre
- Department of Pathology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Valentina Libri
- Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, Center for Translational Science, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Sebastien Mella
- Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, Center for Translational Science, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, CNRS USR, Paris, France
| | - Clémence Granier
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Immunology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Paris, France
| | - Chloe Broudin
- Department of Pathology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Patrice Ravel
- Bioinformatics and Cancer System biology team, IRCM - INSERM U1194, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Eléonore De Guillebon
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Laetitia Mauge
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Hematology, HEGP, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Helley
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Hematology, HEGP, Paris, France
| | - Bernd Jabla
- Cytometry and Biomarkers UTechS, Center for Translational Science, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, CNRS USR, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Chaput
- Laboratory of Immunomonitoring in Oncology, Université Paris-Saclay, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Laurence Albiges
- Department of Medical Oncology, Université Paris-Saclay, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Sandrine Katsahian
- Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, UMRS 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Centre d'Investigation Clinique1418, APHP, HEGP, Paris, France
| | - Julien Adam
- Department of Biopathology, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Arnaud Mejean
- Department of Urology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Adotevi
- Department of Pneumology, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, EFS BFC, UMR109, INSERM CIC1431, University Hospital of Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Yann A Vano
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Oudard
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Eric Tartour
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, PARIS France.,Department of Immunology, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Paris, France
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20
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Advanced Acral Melanoma Therapies: Current Status and Future Directions. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2022; 23:1405-1427. [PMID: 36125617 PMCID: PMC9526689 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-022-01007-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the deadliest malignancies. Its incidence has been significantly increasing in most countries in recent decades. Acral melanoma (AM), a peculiar subgroup of melanoma occurring on the palms, soles, and nails, is the main subtype of melanoma in people of color and is extremely rare in Caucasians. Although great progress has been made in melanoma treatment in recent years, patients with AM have shown limited benefit from current therapies and thus consequently have worse overall survival rates. Achieving durable therapeutic responses in this high-risk melanoma subtype represents one of the greatest challenges in the field. The frequency of BRAF mutations in AM is much lower than that in cutaneous melanoma, which prevents most AM patients from receiving treatment with BRAF inhibitors. However, AM has more frequent mutations such as KIT and CDK4/6, so targeted therapy may still improve the survival of some AM patients in the future. AM may be less susceptible to immune checkpoint inhibitors because of the poor immunogenicity. Therefore, how to enhance the immune response to the tumor cells may be the key to the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced AM. Anti-angiogenic drugs, albumin paclitaxel, or interferons are thought to enhance the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Combination therapies based on the backbone of PD-1 are more likely to provide greater clinical benefits. Understanding the molecular landscapes and immune microenvironment of AM will help optimize our combinatory strategies.
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21
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Therapeutic targets and biomarkers of tumor immunotherapy: response versus non-response. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:331. [PMID: 36123348 PMCID: PMC9485144 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers are highly complex diseases that are characterized by not only the overgrowth of malignant cells but also an altered immune response. The inhibition and reprogramming of the immune system play critical roles in tumor initiation and progression. Immunotherapy aims to reactivate antitumor immune cells and overcome the immune escape mechanisms of tumors. Represented by immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive cell transfer, tumor immunotherapy has seen tremendous success in the clinic, with the capability to induce long-term regression of some tumors that are refractory to all other treatments. Among them, immune checkpoint blocking therapy, represented by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (nivolumab) and CTLA-4 inhibitors (ipilimumab), has shown encouraging therapeutic effects in the treatment of various malignant tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma. In addition, with the advent of CAR-T, CAR-M and other novel immunotherapy methods, immunotherapy has entered a new era. At present, evidence indicates that the combination of multiple immunotherapy methods may be one way to improve the therapeutic effect. However, the overall clinical response rate of tumor immunotherapy still needs improvement, which warrants the development of novel therapeutic designs as well as the discovery of biomarkers that can guide the prescription of these agents. Learning from the past success and failure of both clinical and basic research is critical for the rational design of studies in the future. In this article, we describe the efforts to manipulate the immune system against cancer and discuss different targets and cell types that can be exploited to promote the antitumor immune response.
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22
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Sanborn RE, Pishvaian MJ, Callahan MK, Weise A, Sikic BI, Rahma O, Cho DC, Rizvi NA, Sznol M, Lutzky J, Bauman JE, Bitting RL, Starodub A, Jimeno A, Reardon DA, Kaley T, Iwamoto F, Baehring JM, Subramaniam DS, Aragon-Ching JB, Hawthorne TR, Rawls T, Yellin M, Keler T. Safety, tolerability and efficacy of agonist anti-CD27 antibody (varlilumab) administered in combination with anti-PD-1 (nivolumab) in advanced solid tumors. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005147. [PMID: 35940825 PMCID: PMC9364417 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phase 1/2 dose-escalation and expansion study evaluating varlilumab, a fully human agonist anti-CD27 mAb, with nivolumab in anti-PD-1/L1 naïve, refractory solid tumors. METHODS Phase 1 evaluated the safety of varlilumab (0.1-10 mg/kg) with nivolumab (3 mg/kg) administered once every 2 weeks. Phase 2 evaluated varlilumab regimens (3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks, 3 mg/kg once every 12 weeks, and 0.3 mg/kg once every 4 weeks) with nivolumab 240 mg once every 2 weeks in tumor-specific cohorts. Primary objective was safety; key clinical endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival rate at 12 months (OS12) (glioblastoma (GBM) only). Exploratory objectives included determination of effects on peripheral blood and intratumoral immune signatures. RESULTS 175 patients were enrolled (36 in phase 1 and 139 in phase 2). Phase 1 dose-escalation proceeded to the highest varlilumab dose level without determining a maximum tolerated dose. In phase 2, ORR were ovarian 12.5%, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck 12.5%, colorectal cancer 5%, and renal cell carcinoma 0%; GBM OS12 was 40.9%. Increased tumor PD-L1 and intratumoral T cell infiltration were observed in ovarian cancer patients, with increases of ≥5% associated with better progression-free survival. The most common treatment related adverse events were fatigue (18%), pruritus (16%), and rash (15%). CONCLUSION Varlilumab and nivolumab were well tolerated, without significant toxicity beyond that expected for each agent alone. Clinical activity was observed in patients that are typically refractory to anti-PD-1 therapy, however, overall was not greater than expected for nivolumab monotherapy. Treatment was associated with proinflammatory changes in the tumor microenvironment, particularly in ovarian cancer where the changes were associated with better clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02335918.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Sanborn
- Providence Cancer Institute, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Michael J Pishvaian
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown-Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Margaret K Callahan
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Amy Weise
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Branimir I Sikic
- Clinical and Translational Research Unit, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Osama Rahma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel C Cho
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Naiyer A Rizvi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mario Sznol
- Smilow Cancer Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jose Lutzky
- Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami Beach, Florida, USA
| | - Julie E Bauman
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tuscon, Arizona, USA
| | | | | | - Antonio Jimeno
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - David A Reardon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas Kaley
- Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fabio Iwamoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joachim M Baehring
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Deepa S Subramaniam
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | | | - Tracey Rawls
- Celldex Therapeutics Inc, Hampton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Tibor Keler
- R & D, Celldex Therapeutics Inc, Hampton, New Jersey, USA
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23
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Bożyk A, Wojas-Krawczyk K, Krawczyk P, Milanowski J. Tumor Microenvironment—A Short Review of Cellular and Interaction Diversity. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11060929. [PMID: 35741450 PMCID: PMC9220289 DOI: 10.3390/biology11060929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment is a complex network of various interactions between immune cells and non-cellular components such as the extracellular matrix, exosomes and interleukins. Moreover, tumor heterogeneity and its constant modification may alter the immunophenotype and become responsible for its resistance regarding the therapies applied However, it should be remembered that in a strongly immunosuppressive neoplastic microenvironment, the immune system cells undergo reprogramming and most often cease to fulfill their original function. Therefore, understanding what happens within the tumor microenvironment, and which mechanisms are responsible for tumor development and progression should let us know how cancer could protect itself against the immune system. The presented review summarizes the latest information on the interactions between the tumor microenvironment and the cellular and non-cellular components, as well as their impact on cancer development, progression and immune system exhaustion.
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24
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Identification of an Immune Gene-Based Cisplatin Response Model and CD27 as a Therapeutic Target against Cisplatin Resistance for Ovarian Cancer. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:4379216. [PMID: 35647204 PMCID: PMC9133897 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4379216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective. Evidence demonstrates that the immune microenvironment is extensively associated with chemotherapy response of ovarian cancer (OV). Herein, this study is aimed at establishing a cisplatin response prediction model for OV on the basis of immune genes. Methods. The expression profiles of cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant OV specimens were integrated from multiple public datasets. The abundance scores of 22 immune cells were estimated with CIBERSORT algorithm. Differentially expressed immune genes (DEGs) were determined between cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant groups. Thereafter, a cisplatin response model was constructed based on prognostic DEGs with logistic regression analysis. The prediction performance was validated in independent cohorts. The possible relationships between the model and immunotherapy were then assessed. Results. Treg scores were significantly decreased in cisplatin-resistant than cisplatin-sensitive OV specimens, with the opposite results for naïve B cells and activated dendritic cells. Fourteen prognostic DEGs were identified and used to develop a cisplatin-response model. The response scores, estimated by the model, showed favorable performance in discriminating cisplatin-response and nonresponse samples. The response scores also presented significantly negative correlations with three well-known cisplatin-resistant pathways and a positive correlation with the expression of CD274 (PD-L1). Moreover, the decreased CD27 expression was observed in cisplatin-resistant groups, and OV specimens with higher CD27 expressions were more sensitive to cisplatin treatment. Conclusion. Altogether, our findings proposed a cisplatin response prediction model and identified CD27 that might be involved in cisplatin resistance. Further investigations suggested that CD27 could be a promising immunotherapeutic target for cisplatin-resistant subset of OV.
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25
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Ciereszko A, Dietrich MA, Słowińska M, Nynca J, Ciborowski M, Kaczmarek MM, Myszczyński K, Kiśluk J, Majewska A, Michalska-Falkowska A, Kodzik N, Reszeć J, Sierko E, Nikliński J. Application of two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis to identify protein changes between center, margin, and adjacent non-tumor tissues obtained from non-small-cell lung cancer with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma subtype. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268073. [PMID: 35512017 PMCID: PMC9071164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is responsible for the most cancer-related mortality worldwide and the mechanism of its development is poorly understood. Proteomics has become a powerful tool offering vital knowledge related to cancer development. Using a two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) approach, we sought to compare tissue samples from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients taken from the tumor center and tumor margin. Two subtypes of NSCLC, adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were compared. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD032736 and PXD032962 for ADC and SCC, respectively. For ADC proteins, 26 significant canonical pathways were identified, including Rho signaling pathways, a semaphorin neuronal repulsive signaling pathway, and epithelial adherens junction signaling. For SCC proteins, nine significant canonical pathways were identified, including hypoxia-inducible factor-1α signaling, thyroid hormone biosynthesis, and phagosome maturation. Proteins differentiating the tumor center and tumor margin were linked to cancer invasion and progression, including cell migration, adhesion and invasion, cytoskeletal structure, protein folding, anaerobic metabolism, tumor angiogenesis, EMC transition, epithelial adherens junctions, and inflammatory responses. In conclusion, we identified several proteins that are important for the better characterization of tumor development and molecular specificity of both lung cancer subtypes. We also identified proteins that may be important as biomarkers and/or targets for anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Ciereszko
- Department of Gametes and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Mariola A. Dietrich
- Department of Gametes and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Mariola Słowińska
- Department of Gametes and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Joanna Nynca
- Department of Gametes and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Michał Ciborowski
- Metabolomics Laboratory, Clinical Research Centre, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Monika M. Kaczmarek
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Kamil Myszczyński
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Joanna Kiśluk
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Anna Majewska
- Department of Gametes and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Natalia Kodzik
- Department of Gametes and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Joanna Reszeć
- Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Ewa Sierko
- Department of Oncology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Jacek Nikliński
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
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Hu B, Yu M, Ma X, Sun J, Liu C, Wang C, Wu S, Fu PY, Yang Z, He Y, Zhu Y, Huang C, Yang X, Shi Y, Qiu S, Sun H, Zhu AX, Zhou J, Xu Y, Zhu D, Fan J. Interferon-a potentiates anti-PD-1 efficacy by remodeling glucose metabolism in the hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment. Cancer Discov 2022; 12:1718-1741. [PMID: 35412588 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-1022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The overall response rate for anti-PD-1 therapy remains modest in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We found that a combination of interferon alpha (IFN-a) and anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy resulted in enhanced antitumor activity in unresectable HCC patients. In both immunocompetent orthotopic and spontaneous HCC models, IFN-a therapy synergized with anti-PD-1 and the combination treatment led to significant enrichment of cytotoxic CD27+ CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, IFN-a suppressed HIF1a signaling by inhibiting FosB transcription in HCC cells, resulting in reduced glucose consumption capacity and consequentially establishing the high-glucose microenvironment that fostered transcription of the T cell costimulatory molecule Cd27 via mTOR-FOXM1 signaling in infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Together, these data reveal that IFN-a reprograms glucose metabolism within HCC tumor microenvironment, thereby liberating T cell cytotoxic capacities and potentiating the PD-1 blockade-induced immune response. Our findings suggest that IFN-a and anti-PD-1 cotreatment is an effective novel combination strategy for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Liver Cancer Institute & Zhongshan Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Mincheng Yu
- Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaolu Ma
- Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, shanghai, shanghai, China
| | - Jialei Sun
- Liver Cancer Institute & Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Suiyi Wu
- Liver Cancer Institute & Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Pei-Yao Fu
- Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | | | - Cheng Huang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, .No State, China
| | - Xinrong Yang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhong Shan Hospital and Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, shanghai, China
| | - Yinghong Shi
- Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Andrew X Zhu
- Jiahui International Cancer Center, Jiahui International Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Liver Cancer Institute, shanghai, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Liver Cancer Institute and Zhong Shan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Zhu
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Fan
- Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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27
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Stromnes IM, Hulbert A, Rollins MR, Basom RS, Delrow J, Bonson P, Burrack AL, Hingorani SR, Greenberg PD. Insufficiency of compound immune checkpoint blockade to overcome engineered T cell exhaustion in pancreatic cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e003525. [PMID: 35210305 PMCID: PMC8883283 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Achieving robust responses with adoptive cell therapy for the treatment of the highly lethal pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has been elusive. We previously showed that T cells engineered to express a mesothelin-specific T cell receptor (TCRMsln) accumulate in autochthonous PDA, mediate therapeutic antitumor activity, but fail to eradicate tumors in part due to acquisition of a dysfunctional exhausted T cell state. METHODS Here, we investigated the role of immune checkpoints in mediating TCR engineered T cell dysfunction in a genetically engineered PDA mouse model. The fate of engineered T cells that were either deficient in PD-1, or transferred concurrent with antibodies blocking PD-L1 and/or additional immune checkpoints, were tracked to evaluate persistence, functionality, and antitumor activity at day 8 and day 28 post infusion. We performed RNAseq on engineered T cells isolated from tumors and compared differentially expressed genes to prototypical endogenous exhausted T cells. RESULTS PD-L1 pathway blockade and/or simultaneous blockade of multiple coinhibitory receptors during adoptive cell therapy was insufficient to prevent engineered T cell dysfunction in autochthonous PDA yet resulted in subclinical activity in the lung, without enhancing anti-tumor immunity. Gene expression analysis revealed that ex vivo TCR engineered T cells markedly differed from in vivo primed endogenous effector T cells which can respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Early after transfer, intratumoral TCR engineered T cells acquired a similar molecular program to prototypical exhausted T cells that arise during chronic viral infection, but the molecular programs later diverged. Intratumoral engineered T cells exhibited decreased effector and cell cycle genes and were refractory to TCR signaling. CONCLUSIONS Abrogation of PD-1 signaling is not sufficient to overcome TCR engineered T cell dysfunction in PDA. Our study suggests that contributions by both the differentiation pathways induced during the ex vivo T cell engineering process and intratumoral suppressive mechanisms render engineered T cells dysfunctional and resistant to rescue by blockade of immune checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingunn M Stromnes
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ayaka Hulbert
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Meagan R Rollins
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ryan S Basom
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jeffrey Delrow
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Patrick Bonson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Adam L Burrack
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sunil R Hingorani
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Philip D Greenberg
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Yi M, Zheng X, Niu M, Zhu S, Ge H, Wu K. Combination strategies with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade: current advances and future directions. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:28. [PMID: 35062949 PMCID: PMC8780712 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01489-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 460] [Impact Index Per Article: 230.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or its ligand PD-L1 rescue T cells from exhausted status and revive immune response against cancer cells. Based on the immense success in clinical trials, ten α-PD-1 (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, sintilimab, camrelizumab, toripalimab, tislelizumab, zimberelimab, prolgolimab, and dostarlimab) and three α-PD-L1 antibodies (atezolizumab, durvalumab, and avelumab) have been approved for various types of cancers. Nevertheless, the low response rate of α-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy remains to be resolved. For most cancer patients, PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is not the sole speed-limiting factor of antitumor immunity, and it is insufficient to motivate effective antitumor immune response by blocking PD-1/PD-L1 axis. It has been validated that some combination therapies, including α-PD-1/PD-L1 plus chemotherapy, radiotherapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, targeted therapy, other immune checkpoint inhibitors, agonists of the co-stimulatory molecule, stimulator of interferon genes agonists, fecal microbiota transplantation, epigenetic modulators, or metabolic modulators, have superior antitumor efficacies and higher response rates. Moreover, bifunctional or bispecific antibodies containing α-PD-1/PD-L1 moiety also elicited more potent antitumor activity. These combination strategies simultaneously boost multiple processes in cancer-immunity cycle, remove immunosuppressive brakes, and orchestrate an immunosupportive tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarized the synergistic antitumor efficacies and mechanisms of α-PD-1/PD-L1 in combination with other therapies. Moreover, we focused on the advances of α-PD-1/PD-L1-based immunomodulatory strategies in clinical studies. Given the heterogeneity across patients and cancer types, individualized combination selection could improve the effects of α-PD-1/PD-L1-based immunomodulatory strategies and relieve treatment resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yi
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
| | - Xiaoli Zheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008 China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
| | - Shuangli Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
| | - Hong Ge
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008 China
| | - Kongming Wu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008 China
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Műzes G, Bohusné Barta B, Sipos F. Colitis and Colorectal Carcinogenesis: The Focus on Isolated Lymphoid Follicles. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020226. [PMID: 35203436 PMCID: PMC8869724 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut-associated lymphoid tissue is one of the most diverse and complex immune compartments in the human body. The subepithelial compartment of the gut consists of immune cells of innate and adaptive immunity, non-hematopoietic mesenchymal cells, and stem cells of different origins, and is organized into secondary (and even tertiary) lymphoid organs, such as Peyer's patches, cryptopatches, and isolated lymphoid follicles. The function of isolated lymphoid follicles is multifaceted; they play a role in the development and regeneration of the large intestine and the maintenance of (immune) homeostasis. Isolated lymphoid follicles are also extensively associated with the epithelium and its conventional and non-conventional immune cells; hence, they can also function as a starting point or maintainer of pathological processes such as inflammatory bowel diseases or colorectal carcinogenesis. These relationships can significantly affect both physiological and pathological processes of the intestines. We aim to provide an overview of the latest knowledge of isolated lymphoid follicles in colonic inflammation and colorectal carcinogenesis. Further studies of these lymphoid organs will likely lead to an extended understanding of how immune responses are initiated and controlled within the large intestine, along with the possibility of creating novel mucosal vaccinations and ways to treat inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ferenc Sipos
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-20-478-0752; Fax: +36-1-266-0816
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Yu Y, Tang H, Franceschi D, Mujagond P, Acharya A, Deng Y, Lethaus B, Savkovic V, Zimmerer R, Ziebolz D, Li S, Schmalz G. Immune Checkpoint Gene Expression Profiling Identifies Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 Centered Immunologic Subtypes of Oral and Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Favorable Survival. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:759605. [PMID: 35127742 PMCID: PMC8810827 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.759605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to identify the programmed death ligand-1 (PDL1, also termed as CD274) and its positively correlated immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) and to determine the immune subtypes of CD274-centered ICG combinations in oral and squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and Methods Firstly, the 95 ICGs obtained via literature reviews were identified in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database in relation to OSCC, and such 88 ICG expression profiles were extracted. ICGs positively correlated with CD274 were utilized for subsequent analysis. The relationship between ICGs positively correlated with CD274 and immunotherapy biomarkers (tumor mutation burden (TMB), and adaptive immune resistance pathway genes) was investigated, and the relationships of these genes with OSCC clinical features were explored. The prognostic values of CD274 and its positively correlated ICGs and also their associated gene pairs were revealed using the survival analysis. Results Eight ICGs, including CTLA4, ICOS, TNFRSF4, CD27, B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), ADORA2A, CD40LG, and CD28, were found to be positively correlated with CD274. Among the eight ICGs, seven ICGs (CTLA4, ICOS, TNFRSF4, CD27, BTLA, CD40LG, and CD28) were significantly negatively correlated with TMB. The majority of the adaptive immune resistance pathway genes were positively correlated with ICGs positively correlated with CD274. The survival analysis utilizing the TCGA-OSCC data showed that, although CD274 was not significantly associated with overall survival (OS), the majority of ICGs positively correlated with CD274 (BTLA, CD27, CTLA4, CD40LG, CD28, ICOS, and TNFRSF4) were significantly correlated with OS, whereby their low-expression predicted a favorable prognosis. The survival analysis based on the gene pair subtypes showed that the combination subtypes of CD274_low/BTLA_low, CD274_low/CD27_low, CD274_low/CTLA4_low, CD8A_high/BTLA_low, CD8A_high/CD27_low, and CD8A_high/CTLA4_low predicted favorable OS. Conclusion The results in this study provide a theoretical basis for prognostic immune subtyping of OSCC and highlight the importance of developing future immunotherapeutic strategies for treating oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- Department of Stomatology, Qunli Branch, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Yu
| | - Huiwen Tang
- Department of Stomatology, Qunli Branch, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Debora Franceschi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Prabhakar Mujagond
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Gurgaon-Faridabad Expressway, Faridabad, India
| | - Aneesha Acharya
- Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
| | - Yupei Deng
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, China Tibetology Research Center, Beijing Tibetan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bernd Lethaus
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Vuk Savkovic
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Zimmerer
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dirk Ziebolz
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simin Li
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gerhard Schmalz
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Reinfeld BI, Rathmell WK, Kim TK, Rathmell JC. The therapeutic implications of immunosuppressive tumor aerobic glycolysis. Cell Mol Immunol 2022; 19:46-58. [PMID: 34239083 PMCID: PMC8752729 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00727-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2011, Hanahan and Weinberg added "Deregulating Cellular Energetics" and "Avoiding Immune Destruction" to the six previous hallmarks of cancer. Since this seminal paper, there has been a growing consensus that these new hallmarks are not mutually exclusive but rather interdependent. The following review summarizes how founding genetic events for tumorigenesis ultimately increase tumor cell glycolysis, which not only supports the metabolic demands of malignancy but also provides an immunoprotective niche, promoting malignant cell proliferation, maintenance and progression. The mechanisms by which altered metabolism contributes to immune impairment are multifactorial: (1) the metabolic demands of proliferating tumor cells and activated immune cells are similar, thus creating a situation where immune cells may be in competition for key nutrients; (2) the metabolic byproducts of aerobic glycolysis directly inhibit antitumor immunity while promoting a regulatory immune phenotype; and (3) the gene programs associated with the upregulation of glycolysis also result in the generation of immunosuppressive cytokines and metabolites. From this perspective, we shed light on important considerations for the development of new classes of agents targeting cancer metabolism. These types of therapies can impair tumor growth but also pose a significant risk of stifling antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley I. Reinfeld
- grid.412807.80000 0004 1936 9916Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
| | - W. Kimryn Rathmell
- grid.412807.80000 0004 1936 9916Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Tae Kon Kim
- grid.412807.80000 0004 1936 9916Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Jeffrey C. Rathmell
- grid.412807.80000 0004 1936 9916Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
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A Multi-Omics Network of a Seven-Gene Prognostic Signature for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010219. [PMID: 35008645 PMCID: PMC8745553 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an unmet clinical need to identify patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are likely to develop recurrence and to predict their therapeutic responses. Our previous study developed a qRT-PCR-based seven-gene microfluidic assay to predict the recurrence risk and the clinical benefits of chemotherapy. This study showed it was feasible to apply this seven-gene panel in RNA sequencing profiles of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) NSCLC patients (n = 923) in randomly partitioned feasibility-training and validation sets (p < 0.05, Kaplan-Meier analysis). Using Boolean implication networks, DNA copy number variation-mediated transcriptional regulatory network of the seven-gene signature was identified in multiple NSCLC cohorts (n = 371). The multi-omics network genes, including PD-L1, were significantly correlated with immune infiltration and drug response to 10 commonly used drugs for treating NSCLC. ZNF71 protein expression was positively correlated with epithelial markers and was negatively correlated with mesenchymal markers in NSCLC cell lines in Western blots. PI3K was identified as a relevant pathway of proliferation networks involving ZNF71 and its isoforms formulated with CRISPR-Cas9 and RNA interference (RNAi) profiles. Based on the gene expression of the multi-omics network, repositioning drugs were identified for NSCLC treatment.
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Singh K, Hotchkiss KM, Mohan AA, Reedy JL, Sampson JH, Khasraw M. For whom the T cells troll? Bispecific T-cell engagers in glioblastoma. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e003679. [PMID: 34795007 PMCID: PMC8603282 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003679] [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] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the the most common primary brain tumor in adults. Onset of disease is followed by a uniformly lethal prognosis and dismal overall survival. While immunotherapies have revolutionized treatment in other difficult-to-treat cancers, these have failed to demonstrate significant clinical benefit in patients with glioblastoma. Obstacles to success include the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment (TME), the immune-privileged intracranial space, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and local and systemic immunosuppressions. Monoclonal antibody-based therapies have failed at least in part due to their inability to access the intracranial compartment. Bispecific T-cell engagers are promising antibody fragment-based therapies which can bring T cells close to their target and capture them with a high binding affinity. They can redirect the entire repertoire of T cells against tumor, independent of T-cell receptor specificity. However, the multiple challenges posed by the TME, immune privilege and the BBB suggest that a single agent approach may be insufficient to yield durable, long-lasting antitumor efficacy. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of action of T-cell engagers, their preclinical and clinical developments to date. We also draw comparisons with other classes of multispecific antibodies and potential combinations using these antibody fragment therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirit Singh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Biomedical Engineering, Duke Universtiy, Durham, NC, USA
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27703
| | - Kelly M Hotchkiss
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27703
| | - Aditya A Mohan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jessica L Reedy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27703
| | - John H Sampson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Biomedical Engineering, Duke Universtiy, Durham, NC, USA
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27703
| | - Mustafa Khasraw
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27703
- Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Lutfi F, Wu L, Sunshine S, Cao X. Targeting the CD27-CD70 Pathway to Improve Outcomes in Both Checkpoint Immunotherapy and Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:715909. [PMID: 34630390 PMCID: PMC8493876 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.715909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT) represent two distinct modalities that offer a chance for long-term cure in a diverse array of malignancies and have experienced many breakthroughs in recent years. Herein, we review the CD27-CD70 co-stimulatory pathway and its therapeutic potential in 1) combination with checkpoint inhibitor and other immune therapies and 2) its potential ability to serve as a novel approach in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prevention. We further review recent advances in the understanding of GVHD as a complex immune phenomenon between donor and host immune systems, particularly in the early stages with mixed chimerism, and potential novel therapeutic approaches to prevent the development of GVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forat Lutfi
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Long Wu
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sarah Sunshine
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Xuefang Cao
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Ye Q, Singh S, Qian PR, Guo NL. Immune-Omics Networks of CD27, PD1, and PDL1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4296. [PMID: 34503105 PMCID: PMC8428355 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13174296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
To date, there are no prognostic/predictive biomarkers to select chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy in individual non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Major immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have more DNA copy number variations (CNV) than mutations in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) NSCLC tumors. Nevertheless, CNV-mediated dysregulated gene expression in NSCLC is not well understood. Integrated CNV and transcriptional profiles in NSCLC tumors (n = 371) were analyzed using Boolean implication networks for the identification of a multi-omics CD27, PD1, and PDL1 network, containing novel prognostic genes and proliferation genes. A 5-gene (EIF2AK3, F2RL3, FOSL1, SLC25A26, and SPP1) prognostic model was developed and validated for patient stratification (p < 0.02, Kaplan-Meier analyses) in NSCLC tumors (n = 1163). A total of 13 genes (COPA, CSE1L, EIF2B3, LSM3, MCM5, PMPCB, POLR1B, POLR2F, PSMC3, PSMD11, RPL32, RPS18, and SNRPE) had a significant impact on proliferation in 100% of the NSCLC cell lines in both CRISPR-Cas9 (n = 78) and RNA interference (RNAi) assays (n = 92). Multiple identified genes were associated with chemoresponse and radiotherapy response in NSCLC cell lines (n = 117) and patient tumors (n = 966). Repurposing drugs were discovered based on this immune-omics network to improve NSCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ye
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; (Q.Y.); (S.S.); (P.R.Q.)
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Salvi Singh
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; (Q.Y.); (S.S.); (P.R.Q.)
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Peter R. Qian
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; (Q.Y.); (S.S.); (P.R.Q.)
| | - Nancy Lan Guo
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; (Q.Y.); (S.S.); (P.R.Q.)
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
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Muth S, Klaric A, Radsak M, Schild H, Probst HC. CD27 expression on Treg cells limits immune responses against tumors. J Mol Med (Berl) 2021; 100:439-449. [PMID: 34423375 PMCID: PMC8843905 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-021-02116-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress immune responses and thus contribute to immune homeostasis. On the downside, Tregs also limit immune responses against tumors promoting the progression of cancer. Among the many mechanisms implied in Treg-mediated suppression, the inhibition of dendritic cells (DCs) has been shown to be central in peripheral tolerance induction as well as in cancers. We have shown previously that the maintenance of peripheral T cell tolerance critically depends on cognate interactions between Tregs and DCs and that the CTL priming by unsuppressed steady state DCs is mediated via CD70. Here, we have investigated whether the CD70/CD27 axis is also involved in Treg-mediated suppression of anti-tumor immunity. Using a mixed bone marrow chimeric mouse model in which we can deplete regulatory T cells in a temporally controlled fashion, we show that Treg-expressed CD27 prevents the breakdown of peripheral tolerance and limits anti-tumor immunity. Furthermore, ablation of Treg expressed CD27 acts synergistically with PD-1 checkpoint inhibition to improve CTL mediated immunity against a solid tumor. Our data thus identify Treg-expressed CD27 as a potential target in cancer immunotherapy. KEY MESSAGES : Treg expressed CD27 maintains steady state DC tolerogenic Treg expressed CD27 limits anti-tumor immunity Ablation of Treg expressed CD27 synergizes with PD-1 blockade to improve CTL mediated tumor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Muth
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- Research Centre for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Annekatrin Klaric
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Research Centre for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Markus Radsak
- Research Centre for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- IIIrd Department of Medicine Hematology, Oncology, Pneumology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hansjörg Schild
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Research Centre for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hans Christian Probst
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- Research Centre for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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Liu W, Maben Z, Wang C, Lindquist KC, Li M, Rayannavar V, Lopez Armenta I, Nager A, Pascua E, Dominik PK, Oyen D, Wang H, Roach RC, Allan CM, Mosyak L, Chaparro-Riggers J. Structural delineation and phase-dependent activation of the costimulatory CD27:CD70 complex. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101102. [PMID: 34419446 PMCID: PMC8484739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CD27 is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor, which stimulates lymphocytes and promotes their differentiation upon activation by TNF ligand CD70. Activation of the CD27 receptor provides a costimulatory signal to promote T cell, B cell, and NK cell activity to facilitate antitumor and anti-infection immunity. Aberrant increased and focused expression of CD70 on many tumor cells renders CD70 an attractive therapeutic target for direct tumor killing. However, despite their use as drug targets to treat cancers, the molecular basis and atomic details of CD27 and CD70 interaction remain elusive. Here we report the crystal structure of human CD27 in complex with human CD70. Analysis of our structure shows that CD70 adopts a classical TNF ligand homotrimeric assembly to engage CD27 receptors in a 3:3 stoichiometry. By combining structural and rational mutagenesis data with reported disease-correlated mutations, we identified the key amino acid residues of CD27 and CD70 that control this interaction. We also report increased potency for plate-bound CD70 constructs compared with solution-phase ligand in a functional activity to stimulate T-cells in vitro. These findings offer new mechanistic insight into this critical costimulatory interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hui Wang
- Pfizer, Inc, La Jolla, California, USA
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Borst J, Busselaar J, Bosma DMT, Ossendorp F. Mechanism of action of PD-1 receptor/ligand targeted cancer immunotherapy. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:1911-1920. [PMID: 34106465 PMCID: PMC8453912 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202048994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy targeting the Programmed Death (PD-1) receptor/ligand (L) "checkpoint" rapidly gains ground in the treatment of many cancer types. To increase treatment scope and efficacy, predictive biomarkers and rational selection of co-treatments are required. To meet these demands, we must understand PD-1 function in detail. We here outline recent insights into the regulation of the CD8+ T cell response by PD-1. The prevailing view has been that blockade of PD-1/ligand (L) interaction "reinvigorates" cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that were rendered dysfunctional in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, this review stresses that tumors continuously communicate with adjacent draining lymph nodes (LNs) and that the PD-1 checkpoint also operates during T cell priming. We clarify the role of the PD-(L)1 system at the T cell/DC interface, where it regulates T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and CD28 costimulation and thus controls activation of tumor-specific T cells. We also highlight the importance of CD4+ T cell help during priming, which allows DCs to provide other costimulatory and cytokine signals required for optimal CTL differentiation and likely avoidance of a dysfunctional state. Therefore, we pose that PD-(L)1 blockade should exploit LN function and be combined with "help" signals to optimize CTL efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannie Borst
- Department of Immunology and *Oncode InstituteLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Julia Busselaar
- Department of Immunology and *Oncode InstituteLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Douwe M. T. Bosma
- Department of Immunology and *Oncode InstituteLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Ferry Ossendorp
- Department of Immunology and *Oncode InstituteLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
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Pourakbari R, Hajizadeh F, Parhizkar F, Aghebati-Maleki A, Mansouri S, Aghebati-Maleki L. Co-stimulatory agonists: An insight into the immunotherapy of cancer. EXCLI JOURNAL 2021; 20:1055-1085. [PMID: 34267616 PMCID: PMC8278219 DOI: 10.17179/excli2021-3522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint pathways consist of stimulatory pathways, which can function like a strong impulse to promote T helper cells or killer CD8+ cells activation and proliferation. On the other hand, inhibitory pathways keep self-tolerance of the immune response. Increasing immunological activity by stimulating and blocking these signaling pathways are recognized as immune checkpoint therapies. Providing the best responses of CD8+ T cell needs the activation of T cell receptor along with the co-stimulation that is generated via stimulatory checkpoint pathways ligation including Inducible Co-Stimulator (ICOS), CD40, 4-1BB, GITR, and OX40. In cancer, programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1), Programmed cell death ligand-1(PD-L1) and Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated molecule-4 (CTLA-4) are the most known inhibitory checkpoint pathways, which can hinder the immune responses which have specifically anti-tumor characteristics and attenuate T cell activation and also cytokine production. The use of antagonistic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that block CTLA-4 or PD-1 activation is used in a variety of malignancies. It has been reported that they can lead to an increase in T cells and thereby strengthen anti-tumor immunity. Agonists of stimulatory checkpoint pathways can induce strong immunologic responses in metastatic patients; however, for achieving long-lasting benefits for the wide range of patients, efficient combinatorial therapies are required. In the present review, we focus on the preclinical and basic research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which immune checkpoint inhibitor blockade or other approaches with co-stimulatory agonists work together to improve T-cell antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Pourakbari
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Student's Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Farnaz Hajizadeh
- Department of Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Forough Parhizkar
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Aghebati-Maleki
- Student's Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sanaz Mansouri
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Two Complementarity Immunotherapeutics in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients-Mechanism of Action and Future Concepts. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112836. [PMID: 34200219 PMCID: PMC8201041 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Here, we focused on the most important mechanisms of action of combined immunotherapy with modern anticancer approaches in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. This knowledge is extremely important for lung cancer clinicians. First, it facilitates proper involvement of the patient in the treatment and monitoring its effectiveness. More importantly, the knowledge of the immunotherapy mechanisms will certainly allow quick recognition of the side effects of such a therapy, which are totally different of those observed after chemotherapy. Side effects of combination therapies can occur at any stage of treatment, and even after completion thereof. This review article could particularly explain the mechanism of action of combined immunotherapy, which have different targets in patients. Abstract Due to the limited effectiveness of immunotherapy used as first-line monotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the concepts of combining classical immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint antibodies with other treatment methods have been developed. Pembrolizumab and atezolizumab were registered in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic NSCLC, while durvalumab found its application in consolidation therapy after successful chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced NSCLC. Exceptionally attractive, due to their relatively low toxicity and high effectiveness, are treatment approaches in which a combination of two different immunotherapy methods is applied. This method is based on observations from clinical trials in which nivolumab and ipilimumab were used as first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC. It turned out that the dual blockade of immune checkpoints activated T lymphocytes in different compartments of the immune response, at the same time affecting the downregulation of immune suppressor cells (regulatory T cells). These experiments not only resulted in the registration of combination therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab, but also initiated other clinical trials using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in combination with other ICIs or activators of costimulatory molecules found on immune cells. There are also studies in which ICIs are associated with molecules that modify the tumour environment. This paper describes the mechanism of the synergistic effect of a combination of different immunotherapy methods in NSCLC patients.
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Safety and activity of varlilumab, a novel and first-in-class agonist anti-CD27 antibody, for hematologic malignancies. Blood Adv 2021; 4:1917-1926. [PMID: 32380537 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019001079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CD27, a costimulatory molecule on T cells, induces intracellular signals mediating cellular activation, proliferation, effector function, and cell survival on binding to its ligand, CD70. Varlilumab, a novel, first-in-class, agonist immunoglobulin G1 anti-CD27 antibody, mediates antitumor immunity and direct killing of CD27+ tumor cells in animal models. This first-in-human, dose-escalation, and expansion study evaluated varlilumab in patients with hematologic malignancies. Primary objectives were to assess safety and the maximum tolerated and optimal biologic doses of varlilumab. Secondary objectives were to evaluate pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, immunogenicity, and antitumor activity. In a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design, 30 patients with B-cell (n = 25) or T-cell (n = 5) malignancies received varlilumab (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg IV) as a single dose with a 28-day observation period, followed by weekly dosing (4 doses per cycle, up to 5 cycles, depending on tumor response). In an expansion cohort, 4 additional patients with Hodgkin lymphoma received varlilumab at 0.3 mg/kg every 3 weeks (4 doses per cycle, up to 5 cycles). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Treatment-related adverse events, generally grade 1 to 2, included fatigue, decreased appetite, anemia, diarrhea, and headache. Exposure was linear and dose-proportional across dose groups and resulted in increases in proinflammatory cytokines and soluble CD27. One patient with stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma experienced a complete response and remained in remission at >33 months with no further anticancer therapy. These data support further investigation of varlilumab for hematologic malignancies, particularly in combination approaches targeting nonredundant immune regulating pathways. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01460134.
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Csizmar CM, Ansell SM. Engaging the Innate and Adaptive Antitumor Immune Response in Lymphoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3302. [PMID: 33804869 PMCID: PMC8038124 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073302] [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: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a powerful therapeutic strategy for many malignancies, including lymphoma. As in solid tumors, early clinical trials have revealed that immunotherapy is not equally efficacious across all lymphoma subtypes. For example, immune checkpoint inhibition has a higher overall response rate and leads to more durable outcomes in Hodgkin lymphomas compared to non-Hodgkin lymphomas. These observations, combined with a growing understanding of tumor biology, have implicated the tumor microenvironment as a major determinant of treatment response and prognosis. Interactions between lymphoma cells and their microenvironment facilitate several mechanisms that impair the antitumor immune response, including loss of major histocompatibility complexes, expression of immunosuppressive ligands, secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines, and the recruitment, expansion, and skewing of suppressive cell populations. Accordingly, treatments to overcome these barriers are being rapidly developed and translated into clinical trials. This review will discuss the mechanisms of immune evasion, current avenues for optimizing the antitumor immune response, clinical successes and failures of lymphoma immunotherapy, and outstanding hurdles that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephen M. Ansell
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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Kim CW, Kim KD, Lee HK. The role of dendritic cells in tumor microenvironments and their uses as therapeutic targets. BMB Rep 2021. [PMID: 33298246 PMCID: PMC7851442 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2021.54.1.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DC), which consist of several different subsets, specialize in antigen presentation and are critical for mediating the innate and adaptive immune responses. DC subsets can be classified into conventional, plasmacytoid, and monocyte-derived DC in the tumor microenvironment, and each subset plays a different role. Because of the role of intratumoral DCs in initiating antitumor immune responses with tumor-derived antigen presentation to T cells, DCs have been targeted in the treatment of cancer. By regulating the functionality of DCs, several DC-based immunotherapies have been developed, including administration of tumor-derived antigens and DC vaccines. In addition, DCs participate in the mechanisms of classical cancer therapies, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Thus, regulating DCs is also important in improving current cancer therapies. Here, we will discuss the role of each DC subset in antitumor immune responses, and the current status of DC-related cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chae Won Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kyun-Do Kim
- Center for Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Korea
| | - Heung Kyu Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
- BioMedical Research Center, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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Improved therapeutic efficacy of unmodified anti-tumor antibodies by immune checkpoint blockade and kinase targeted therapy in mouse models of melanoma. Oncotarget 2021; 12:66-80. [PMID: 33520112 PMCID: PMC7825641 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of specific anti-tumor antibodies has transformed the solid cancer therapeutics landscape with the relative successes of therapies such as anti-HER2 in breast cancer, and anti-EGFR in HNSCC and colorectal cancer. However, these therapies result in toxicity and the emergence of resistant tumors. Here, we showed that removing immune suppression and enhancing stimulatory signals increased the anti-tumor activity of unmodified TA99 antibodies (anti-TYRP1) with a significant reduction of growth of solid tumors and lung metastases in mouse models of melanoma. Immune checkpoint blockade enhanced the efficacy of TA99, which was associated with greater CD8+/Foxp3+, NK1.1+ and dendritic cell infiltrates, suggestive of an increased anti-tumor innate and adaptive immune responses. Further, MEK inhibition in melanoma cell lines increased the expression of melanosomal antigens in vitro, and combining TA99 and MEKi in vivo resulted in enhanced tumor control. Moreover, we found an improved therapeutic effect when YUMM tumor-bearing mice were treated with TA99 combined with MEKi and immune checkpoint blockade (anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4). Our findings suggest that MEKi induced an increased expression of tumor-associated antigens, which in combination with anti-tumor antibodies, generated a robust adaptive anti-tumor response that was sustained by immune checkpoint inhibition therapy. We postulate that combining anti-tumor antibodies with standard-of-care strategies such as immune checkpoint blockade or targeted therapy, will improve therapeutic outcomes in cancer.
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Green SE, McCusker MG, Mehra R. Emerging immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of head and neck cancers. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2020; 25:501-514. [PMID: 33196319 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2020.1852215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have been demonstrated through multiple studies to improve overall survival (OS) with decreased side effects when compared to the standard of care (SOC) treatment regimens in place for decades, leading to the approval of two ICIs, nivolumab and pembrolizumab. There has been a subsequent influx in the development of novel immunotherapy agents for the treatment of HNSCC. Areas covered: Data for anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibodies in treatment of R/M HNSCC will be reviewed. Emerging immune checkpoint inhibitors as well as combined therapies in HNSCC will be discussed. The role of predictive biomarkers, HPV-status, PD-L1 expression, and challenges related to treating patients with ICIs will be summarized. Expert opinion: A shift toward ICIs as SOC for the treatment of R/M HNSCC will continue as emerging immune checkpoints and combination therapies are evaluated. Response rates are variable in this patient population underlying the importance of identifying predictive biomarkers to aid in patient selection for ICI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Green
- University of Maryland Medical Center, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center , Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael G McCusker
- University of Maryland Medical Center, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center , Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ranee Mehra
- University of Maryland Medical Center, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center , Baltimore, MD, USA
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Ebelt ND, Zuniga E, Marzagalli M, Zamloot V, Blazar BR, Salgia R, Manuel ER. Salmonella-Based Therapy Targeting Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Restructures the Immune Contexture to Improve Checkpoint Blockade Efficacy. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8120617. [PMID: 33339195 PMCID: PMC7765568 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120617] [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: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic options for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment have changed dramatically in recent years with the advent of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. Among these, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) using monoclonal antibodies has shown tremendous promise in approximately 20% of patients. In order to better predict patients that will respond to ICB treatment, biomarkers such as tumor-associated CD8+ T cell frequency, tumor checkpoint protein status and mutational burden have been utilized, however, with mixed success. In this study, we hypothesized that significantly altering the suppressive tumor immune landscape in NSCLC could potentially improve ICB efficacy. Using sub-therapeutic doses of our Salmonella typhimurium-based therapy targeting the suppressive molecule indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (shIDO-ST) in tumor-bearing mice, we observed dramatic changes in immune subset phenotypes that included increases in antigen presentation markers, decreased regulatory T cell frequency and overall reduced checkpoint protein expression. Combination shIDO-ST treatment with anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 antibodies enhanced tumor growth control, compared to either treatment alone, which was associated with significant intratumoral infiltration by CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Ultimately, we show that increases in antigen presentation markers and infiltration by T cells is correlated with significantly increased survival in NSCLC patients. These results suggest that the success of ICB therapy may be more accurately predicted by taking into account multiple factors such as potential for antigen presentation and immune subset repertoire in addition to markers already being considered. Alternatively, combination treatment with agents such as shIDO-ST could be used to create a more conducive tumor microenvironment for improving responses to ICB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy D. Ebelt
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (N.D.E.); (E.Z.); (M.M.); (V.Z.)
| | - Edith Zuniga
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (N.D.E.); (E.Z.); (M.M.); (V.Z.)
| | - Monica Marzagalli
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (N.D.E.); (E.Z.); (M.M.); (V.Z.)
| | - Vic Zamloot
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (N.D.E.); (E.Z.); (M.M.); (V.Z.)
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Edwin R. Manuel
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (N.D.E.); (E.Z.); (M.M.); (V.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(626)-218-2452
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Shan TT, Zhao X, Zhang Z, Wang JP, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Zhao S. Clinical Significance of Down-Regulated CD70 and CD27 Expression in Poor Prognosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:6909-6920. [PMID: 33204151 PMCID: PMC7660989 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s241377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction CD27 is a co-stimulatory immune checkpoint molecule in the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily. CD27 regulates the generation and maintenance of T cell immunity by binding to CD70 and regulating B-cell activation and immunoglobulin synthesis. Materials and Methods CD27 and CD70 expression were assessed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) compared to normal tissue samples in the GSE53625 dataset of 179 paired cases and in 153 Chinese cases using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. The correlation was also investigated between CD27 and CD70 expression and immune-related pathways, including CD8+ T cell recruitment, function, and other inhibitory immune checkpoints. Results Levels of both CD27 and CD70 expression were down-regulated in ESCC compared to the paired normal tissues. CD27 and CD70 expression was mainly present in lymphocytes surrounding and infiltrating the tumor lesions but rarely expressed in tumor cells. Lost expression of CD27 and CD70 was associated with clinicopathological features, including depth of tumor invasion and better patient survival. Furthermore, CD27 expression was significantly associated with levels of CD8A, GZMB, IFNG, the CD8+ T cell recruitment-associated chemokines (CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11), and CD8 receptors (CCR5, CXCR6, and CXCR3), while CD70 expression was inversely associated with levels of immunosuppressive checkpoints (PD-L1, PD-L2, and HHLA2). Conclusion Detection of CD70/CD27 expression could be further verified as a biomarker for ESCC early detection and prognosis prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Ting Shan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Pu Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
| | - Song Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China.,School of Medical Sciences, The Key Laboratory of Thoracic Tumor of Zhengzhou City, Zhengzhou 450052, People's Republic of China
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Immune-related microRNA signature for predicting prognosis and the immune microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Life Sci 2020; 265:118799. [PMID: 33220285 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
AIMS As vital regulators of post-transcription gene expression, microRNAs are involved in the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including antitumor immune responses. We aimed to identify an immune-related microRNA signature and explore the influence of this signature on the prognosis and immunity of HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Differentially expressed immune-related microRNAs were identified between high- and low-immunity groups in the TCGA-HCC dataset. Then, Cox regression models were used to construct an immune-related microRNA signature. We assessed the prognostic value and clinical relevance of this signature. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of the immune-related microRNA signature on immune cells and immune checkpoints. KEY FINDINGS We screened 41 differentially expressed immune-related microRNAs, of which 7 microRNAs were used to construct the immune signature. Survival analysis showed that high-risk patients had a shorter survival. The immune-related microRNA signature was an independent prognostic marker and was associated with the clinical stage. To understand the functional mechanism of the seven-microRNA signature, we predicted target genes of microRNAs. Enrichment analysis indicated that these target genes participated in immune responses. Moreover, we found that the microRNA signature was related to tumor-infiltrating immune cells. In high-risk patients, there was a higher expression of inhibitory immune checkpoints. On the contrary, the expression of stimulatory immune checkpoints was lower in high-risk patients. SIGNIFICANCE We successfully identified an immune-related microRNA signature that was strongly correlated with the prognosis and immune microenvironment of HCC. The immune-related microRNAs signature might have important implications for improving the clinical outcomes of HCC patients.
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The Immune Phenotype of Isolated Lymphoid Structures in Non-Tumorous Colon Mucosa Encrypts the Information on Pathobiology of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12113117. [PMID: 33113874 PMCID: PMC7692185 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Today, the presence of well-organized functional structures of immune cells at tumor sites, known as ectopic lymphoid structures, and their strong association with patient survival have been reported in more than ten different cancer types. We aimed to investigate whether there is a link between the patient-specific characteristics of pre-formed isolated lymphoid structures in non-tumorous colon tissue and the disease pathobiology for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The study employed a powerful approach of quantitative tissue image cytometry to compare lymphoid structures of different anatomical locations within the same patients. We showed that the properties of isolated lymphoid structures in non-tumorous colon tissue predefine the immune phenotype of ectopic lymphoid structures at primary and metastatic sites. We discovered that B-cell-enriched and highly proliferative lymphoid structures are prognostic towards an improved clinical outcome. The knowledge gained from this study expands our understanding of tumor-immune interactions and draws particular attention to the anti-tumor immune response guided by isolated lymphoid structures outside of tumor tissue. Abstract The gut-associated lymphoid tissue represents an integral part of the immune system. Among the powerful players of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue are isolated lymphoid structures (ILSs), which as information centers, drive the local (and systemic) adaptive immune responses. Germinal center reactions, taking place within ILSs, involve the coordinated action of various immune cell types with a central role given to B cells. In the current study, we aimed at dissecting the impact of ILSs within non-tumorous colon tissue (NT) on the pathobiology of colorectal cancer (CRC) with metastasis in the liver (CRCLM). In particular, we focused on the immune phenotypes of ILSs and ectopic lymphoid structures (ELSs), built up at matching primary and metastatic tumor sites. We implemented an integrative analysis strategy on the basis of tissue image cytometry and clonality assessment to explore the immune phenotype of ILS/ELS at three tissue entities: NT, CRC, and CRCLM (69 specimens in total). Applying a panel of lineage markers used for immunostaining, we characterized and compared the anatomical features, the cellular composition, the activation, and proliferation status of ILSs and ELSs, and assessed the clinical relevance of staining-derived data sets. Our major discovery was that ILS characteristics at the NT site predefine the immune phenotype of ELSs at CRC and CRCLM. Thereby, B-cell-enriched (CD20) and highly proliferative (Ki67) ILSs and ELSs were found to be associated with improved clinical outcome in terms of survival and enabled patient stratification into risk groups. Moreover, the data revealed a linkage between B-cell clonality at the NT site and the metastatic characteristics of the tumor in the distant liver tissue. Consolidation of immunostaining-based findings with the results of compendium-wide transcriptomic analysis furthermore proposed CD27 as a novel marker of T follicular helper cells within lymphoid structures. Overall, the study nominates the ILS immune phenotype as a novel prognostic marker for patients with metastatic CRC.
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He S, Xu J, Wu J. The emerging role of co-stimulatory molecules and their agonistic mAb-based combination therapies in melanoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 89:107097. [PMID: 33091814 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Although anti-PD-1/L1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, the validated immune checkpoint blockades, can elicit durable long-lasting antitumor immunity and improve the clinical outcomes of melanoma treatment, there are still a fraction of patients who did not receive therapeutic benefits as expected. In addition to findings of blocking the co-inhibitory pathways, the preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that triggering the co-stimulatory pathways through agonists such as CD137, OX40, CD40, GITR and CD27 may be a rational next step for melanoma therapy. In this review, we discuss the progress of studies on these co-stimulatory molecules in terms of their promising therapeutic effects and underlying antitumor mechanisms, and provide a review of the possible combinations that orchestrate the interplay of co-stimulatory agonistic mAbs and other therapies for treating melanoma, including inhibitory immune checkpoint mAbs, adoptive T cell therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We also briefly present the limitations and challenges involved in these co-stimulatory agonistic mAb-based combination strategies for melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Jinhua Xu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China.
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