1
|
Foldi J, Blenman KRM, Marczyk M, Gunasekharan V, Polanska A, Gee R, Davis M, Kahn AM, Silber A, Pusztai L. Peripheral blood immune parameters, response, and adverse events after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus durvalumab in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2024; 208:369-377. [PMID: 39002068 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07426-3] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE We evaluated T- and B-cell receptor (TCR and BCR) repertoire diversity and 38 serum cytokines in pre- and post-treatment peripheral blood of 66 patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus durvalumab and assessed associations with pathologic response and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) during treatment. METHODS Genomic DNA was isolated from buffy coat for TCR and BCR clonotype profiling using the Immunoseq platform and diversity was quantified with Pielou's evenness index. MILLIPLEX MAP Human Cytokine/Chemokine Magnetic Bead Panel was used to measure serum cytokine levels, which were compared between groups using moderated t-statistic with Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple testing. RESULTS TCR and BCR diversity was high (Pielou's index > 0.75) in all samples. Baseline receptor diversities and change in diversity pre- and post-treatment were not associated with pathologic response or irAE status, except for BCR diversity that was significantly lower post-treatment in patients who developed irAE (unadjusted p = 0.0321). Five cytokines increased after treatment in patients with pathologic complete response (pCR) but decreased in patients with RD, most prominently IL-8. IFNγ, IL-7, and GM-CSF levels were higher in pre-treatment than in post-treatment samples of patients who developed irAEs but were lower in those without irAEs. CONCLUSION Baseline peripheral blood cytokine levels may predict irAEs in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy, and increased post-treatment B-cell clonal expansion might mediate irAEs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Foldi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 300 Halket Street, Room 3524, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Kim R M Blenman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michal Marczyk
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Data Science and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Vignesh Gunasekharan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Alicja Polanska
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, London, UK
| | - Renelle Gee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mya Davis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Adriana M Kahn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andrea Silber
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lajos Pusztai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Quintana A, Saini KS, Vidal L, Peg V, Slebe F, Loibl S, Curigliano G, Schmid P, Cortes J. Window of opportunity trials with immune checkpoint inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer. ESMO Open 2024; 9:103713. [PMID: 39357122 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2024.103713] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have a relatively poor clinical outcome. The immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy is the current standard of care in TNBC patients with stage II and III. Monotherapy with ICIs has not been comprehensively assessed in the neoadjuvant setting in TNBC patients, given unfavorable results in metastatic trials. ICIs, however, have been tested in the window of opportunity (WOO) before surgery or standard chemotherapy-based neoadjuvant treatment. The WOO design is well suited to assess an ICI alone or in combination with other ICIs, targeted therapy, radiotherapy or cryotherapy, and measure their pharmacodynamic and clinical effect in this treatment-naive population. Some patients show a good response to ICIs in WOO studies. Biomarkers like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, programmed death ligand-1, and interferon-γ signature may predict activity and may identify patients likely to benefit from ICIs. Moreover, an increase in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, programmed death ligand-1 expression or T cell receptor expansion following administration of ICIs in the WOO setting could potentially inform of immunotherapy benefit, which would allow tailoring further treatment. This article reviews WOO trials that assessed immunotherapy in the early-stage TNBC population, and how these results could be translated to test de-escalation strategies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy without compromising a patient's prognosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Quintana
- Breast Cancer Unit, Vall d'Hebrón Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - K S Saini
- Fortrea, Inc., Durham, USA; Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - V Peg
- Biomedical Research Network Centre in Oncology (CIBERONC), Madrid; Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona; Departament of Medicine, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona
| | - F Slebe
- Medica Scientia Innovation Research (MedSIR), Barcelona, Spain; Oncoclínicas & Co, Jersey City, New Jersey and Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - S Loibl
- German Breast Group, GBG Forschungs GmbH, Neu-Isenburg, Germany
| | - G Curigliano
- European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - P Schmid
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University London, London, UK
| | - J Cortes
- Medica Scientia Innovation Research (MedSIR), Barcelona, Spain; Oncoclínicas & Co, Jersey City, New Jersey and Sao Paulo, Brazil; Universidad Europea de Madrid, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Madrid; International Breast Cancer Center, Pangaea Oncology, Quironsalud Group, Barcelona; IOB Madrid, Institute of Oncology, Hospital Beata Maria Ana, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen L, Hu Y, Zheng B, Luo L, Su Z. Human TCR repertoire in cancer. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e70164. [PMID: 39240157 PMCID: PMC11378360 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.70164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T cells, the "superstar" of the immune system, play a crucial role in antitumor immunity. T-cell receptors (TCR) are crucial molecules that enable T cells to identify antigens and start immunological responses. The body has evolved a unique method for rearrangement, resulting in a vast diversity of TCR repertoires. A healthy TCR repertoire is essential for the particular identification of antigens by T cells. METHODS In this article, we systematically summarized the TCR creation mechanisms and analysis methodologies, particularly focusing on the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. We explore the TCR repertoire in health and cancer, and discuss the implications of TCR repertoire analysis in understanding carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and treatment. RESULTS The TCR repertoire analysis has enormous potential for monitoring the emergence and progression of malignancies, as well as assessing therapy response and prognosis. The application of NGS has dramatically accelerated our comprehension of TCR diversity and its role in cancer immunity. CONCLUSIONS To substantiate the significance of TCR repertoires as biomarkers, more thorough and exhaustive research should be conducted. The TCR repertoire analysis, enabled by advanced sequencing technologies, is poised to become a crucial tool in the future of cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Department of Medical Genetics/Prenatal Diagnostic Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Hu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
- Department of Anesthesia Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bohao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Limei Luo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhenzhen Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mooradian MJ, Fintelmann FJ, LaSalle TJ, Simon J, Graur A, Muzikansky A, Mino-Kenudson M, Shalhout S, Kaufman HL, Jenkins RW, Lawrence D, Lawless A, Sharova T, Uppot RN, Fang J, Blaum EM, Gonye ALK, Gushterova I, Boland GM, Azzoli C, Hacohen N, Sade-Feldman M, Sullivan RJ. Cryoablation and post-progression immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic melanoma: a phase II trial. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7357. [PMID: 39191779 PMCID: PMC11349953 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51722-x] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Image-guided percutaneous cryoablation is an established minimally invasive oncologic treatment. We hypothesized that cryoablation may modify the immune microenvironment through direct modulation of the tumor, thereby generating an anti-tumor response in tumors refractory to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI). In this non-randomized phase II single-center study (NCT03290677), subjects with unresectable melanoma progressing on ICI underwent cryoablation of an enlarging metastasis, and ICI was continued for a minimum of two additional cycles. The primary endpoints were safety, feasibility and tumor response in non-ablated lesions. From May 2018 through July 2020, 17 patients were treated on study. The study met its primary endpoints with the combination strategy found to be safe and feasible with an objective response rate of 23.5% and disease control rate of 41% (4 partial response, 3 stable disease). Our data support further study of this synergistic therapeutic approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan J Mooradian
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Florian J Fintelmann
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas J LaSalle
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School & Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judit Simon
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Graur
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alona Muzikansky
- Biostatics Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mari Mino-Kenudson
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sophia Shalhout
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mass Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Howard L Kaufman
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Russell W Jenkins
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald Lawrence
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aleigha Lawless
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tatyana Sharova
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raul N Uppot
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacy Fang
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily M Blaum
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna L K Gonye
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irena Gushterova
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Genevieve M Boland
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher Azzoli
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Lifespan Cancer Institute, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nir Hacohen
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Moshe Sade-Feldman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ryan J Sullivan
- Division of Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yu X, Pan M, Ye J, Hathaway CA, Tworoger SS, Lea J, Li B. Quantifiable TCR repertoire changes in prediagnostic blood specimens among patients with high-grade ovarian cancer. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101612. [PMID: 38878776 PMCID: PMC11293308 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101612] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
High-grade ovarian cancer (HGOC) is a major cause of death in women. Early detection of HGOC usually leads to a cure, yet it remains a clinical challenge with over 90% HGOCs diagnosed at advanced stages. This is mainly because conventional biomarkers are not sensitive enough to detect the microscopic yet metastatic early lesions. In this study, we sequence the blood T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires of 466 patients with ovarian cancer and controls and systematically investigate the immune repertoire signatures in HGOCs. We observe quantifiable changes of selected TCRs in HGOCs that are reproducible in multiple independent cohorts. Importantly, these changes are stronger during stage I. Using pre-diagnostic patient blood samples from the Nurses' Health Study, we confirm that HGOC signals can be detected in the blood TCR repertoire up to 4 years preceding conventional diagnosis. Our findings may provide the basis for future immune-based HGOC early detection criteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuexin Yu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mingyao Pan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jianfeng Ye
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | | | - Shelley S Tworoger
- Knight Cancer Institute and Division of Oncological Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jayanthi Lea
- Department of Gynecology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cai Y, Luo M, Yang W, Xu C, Wang P, Xue G, Jin X, Cheng R, Que J, Zhou W, Pang B, Xu S, Li Y, Jiang Q, Xu Z. The Deep Learning Framework iCanTCR Enables Early Cancer Detection Using the T-cell Receptor Repertoire in Peripheral Blood. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1915-1928. [PMID: 38536129 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-0860] [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: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
T cells recognize tumor antigens and initiate an anticancer immune response in the very early stages of tumor development, and the antigen specificity of T cells is determined by the T-cell receptor (TCR). Therefore, monitoring changes in the TCR repertoire in peripheral blood may offer a strategy to detect various cancers at a relatively early stage. Here, we developed the deep learning framework iCanTCR to identify patients with cancer based on the TCR repertoire. The iCanTCR framework uses TCRβ sequences from an individual as an input and outputs the predicted cancer probability. The model was trained on over 2,000 publicly available TCR repertoires from 11 types of cancer and healthy controls. Analysis of several additional publicly available datasets validated the ability of iCanTCR to distinguish patients with cancer from noncancer individuals and demonstrated the capability of iCanTCR for the accurate classification of multiple cancers. Importantly, iCanTCR precisely identified individuals with early-stage cancer with an AUC of 86%. Altogether, this work provides a liquid biopsy approach to capture immune signals from peripheral blood for noninvasive cancer diagnosis. SIGNIFICANCE Development of a deep learning-based method for multicancer detection using the TCR repertoire in the peripheral blood establishes the potential of evaluating circulating immune signals for noninvasive early cancer detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yideng Cai
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Meng Luo
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Wenyi Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Chang Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Pingping Wang
- School for Interdisciplinary Medicine and Engineering, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Guangfu Xue
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Xiyun Jin
- School for Interdisciplinary Medicine and Engineering, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Rui Cheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Jinhao Que
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Wenyang Zhou
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Boran Pang
- Center for Difficult and Complicated Abdominal Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shouping Xu
- Department of Breast Cancer, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Qinghua Jiang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
- School for Interdisciplinary Medicine and Engineering, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhaochun Xu
- School for Interdisciplinary Medicine and Engineering, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Goldner Kabeli R, Zevin S, Abargel A, Zilberberg A, Efroni S. Self-supervised learning of T cell receptor sequences exposes core properties for T cell membership. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk4670. [PMID: 38669334 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk4670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is an extraordinarily diverse collection of TCRs essential for maintaining the body's homeostasis and response to threats. In this study, we compiled an extensive dataset of more than 4200 bulk TCR repertoire samples, encompassing 221,176,713 sequences, alongside 6,159,652 single-cell TCR sequences from over 400 samples. From this dataset, we then selected a representative subset of 5 million bulk sequences and 4.2 million single-cell sequences to train two specialized Transformer-based language models for bulk (CVC) and single-cell (scCVC) TCR repertoires, respectively. We show that these models successfully capture TCR core qualities, such as sharing, gene composition, and single-cell properties. These qualities are emergent in the encoded TCR latent space and enable classification into TCR-based qualities such as public sequences. These models demonstrate the potential of Transformer-based language models in TCR downstream applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romi Goldner Kabeli
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Sarit Zevin
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Avital Abargel
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Alona Zilberberg
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Sol Efroni
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Li Y, Wang Z, Lu F, Miao Y, Feng Q, Zhu W, Kang Q, Chen Y, Zhang Q. Novel T cell exhaustion gene signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in thyroid carcinoma from integrated RNA-sequencing analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8375. [PMID: 38600248 PMCID: PMC11006682 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58419-7] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Exhausted CD8+ T lymphocytes and tumor-associated macrophages play critical roles in determining cancer prognosis and the efficacy of immunotherapy. Our study revealed a negative correlation between exhausted CD8+ T lymphocytes and prognosis in thyroid carcinoma (THCA). Consensus clustering divided patients into two subgroups of exhaustion with different prognoses, as defined by marker genes of exhausted CD8+ T cells. Subsequently, we constructed an eight-gene prognostic signature, and developed a risk score named the exhaustion-related gene score (ERGS) to forecast both prognosis and immunotherapy response in THCA. Bulk RNA sequencing analysis revealed a higher prevalence of M2 macrophages, indicative of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), in the high-ERGS group. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that SPP1+ macrophages and CD14+ monocytes infiltrations were positively associated with higher ERGS. Functionally, it was determined that SPP1+ macrophages exert an immunosuppressive role, while CD14+ monocytes were implicated in promoting tumor progression and angiogenesis. Analysis of cell-cell interactions between SPP1+ macrophages and T cells highlighted the activation of the SPP1-CD44 and MIF-CD74 axes, both of which could foster an immunosuppressive TME. Therapeutic strategies that target SPP1+ macrophages, CD14+ monocytes, and the SPP1-CD44 and MIF-CD74 axes may potentially improve the prognosis and amplify the immunotherapy response in THCA patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Fangting Lu
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yahu Miao
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qing Feng
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Weixi Zhu
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qingqing Kang
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yijing Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiu Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Aterido A, López-Lasanta M, Blanco F, Juan-Mas A, García-Vivar ML, Erra A, Pérez-García C, Sánchez-Fernández SÁ, Sanmartí R, Fernández-Nebro A, Alperi-López M, Tornero J, Ortiz AM, Fernández-Cid CM, Palau N, Pan W, Byrne-Steele M, Starenki D, Weber D, Rodriguez-Nunez I, Han J, Myers RM, Marsal S, Julià A. Seven-chain adaptive immune receptor repertoire analysis in rheumatoid arthritis reveals novel features associated with disease and clinically relevant phenotypes. Genome Biol 2024; 25:68. [PMID: 38468286 PMCID: PMC10926600 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03210-0] [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: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the activation of T and B cell clones specific for self-antigens leads to the chronic inflammation of the synovium. Here, we perform an in-depth quantitative analysis of the seven chains that comprise the adaptive immune receptor repertoire (AIRR) in RA. RESULTS In comparison to controls, we show that RA patients have multiple and strong differences in the B cell receptor repertoire including reduced diversity as well as altered isotype, chain, and segment frequencies. We demonstrate that therapeutic tumor necrosis factor inhibition partially restores this alteration but find a profound difference in the underlying biochemical reactivities between responders and non-responders. Combining the AIRR with HLA typing, we identify the specific T cell receptor repertoire associated with disease risk variants. Integrating these features, we further develop a molecular classifier that shows the utility of the AIRR as a diagnostic tool. CONCLUSIONS Simultaneous sequencing of the seven chains of the human AIRR reveals novel features associated with the disease and clinically relevant phenotypes, including response to therapy. These findings show the unique potential of AIRR to address precision medicine in immune-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrià Aterido
- Rheumatology Research Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María López-Lasanta
- Rheumatology Research Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco Blanco
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Juan Canalejo, A Coruña, Spain
| | | | | | - Alba Erra
- Rheumatology Research Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Sant Rafael, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Raimon Sanmartí
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Jesús Tornero
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Universitario Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain
| | - Ana María Ortiz
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, IIS La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Núria Palau
- Rheumatology Research Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jian Han
- iRepertoire Inc, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Richard M Myers
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Sara Marsal
- Rheumatology Research Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Julià
- Rheumatology Research Group, Vall Hebron Research Institute, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Comen E, Budhu S, Elhanati Y, Page D, Rasalan-Ho T, Ritter E, Wong P, Plitas G, Patil S, Brogi E, Jochelson M, Bryce Y, Solomon SB, Norton L, Merghoub T, McArthur HL. Preoperative immune checkpoint inhibition and cryoablation in early-stage breast cancer. iScience 2024; 27:108880. [PMID: 38333710 PMCID: PMC10850740 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Local cryoablation can engender systemic immune activation/anticancer responses in tumors otherwise resistant to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). We evaluated the safety/tolerability of preoperative cryoablation plus ipilimumab and nivolumab in 5 early-stage/resectable breast cancers. The primary endpoint was met when all 5 patients underwent standard-of-care primary breast surgery undelayedly. Three patients developed transient hyperthyroidism; one developed grade 4 liver toxicity (resolved with supportive management). We compared this strategy with cryoablation and/or ipilimumab. Dual ICB plus cryoablation induced higher expression of T cell activation markers and serum Th1 cytokines and reduced immunosuppressive serum CD4+PD-1hi T cells, improving effector-to-suppressor T cell ratio. After dual ICB and before cryoablation, T cell receptor sequencing of 4 patients showed increased T cell clonality. In this small subset of patients, we provide preliminary evidence that preoperative cryoablation plus ipilimumab and nivolumab is feasible, inducing systemic adaptive immune activation potentially more robust than cryoablation with/without ipilimumab.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Comen
- Breast Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sadna Budhu
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Mayer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yuval Elhanati
- Computational Oncology Service, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Page
- Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Robert W. Franz Cancer Center, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Teresa Rasalan-Ho
- Immune Monitoring Core Facility, Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erika Ritter
- Immune Monitoring Core Facility, Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Phillip Wong
- Immune Monitoring Core Facility, Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - George Plitas
- Breast Surgery, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sujata Patil
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Edi Brogi
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maxine Jochelson
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yolanda Bryce
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen B. Solomon
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Larry Norton
- Breast Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Taha Merghoub
- Ludwig Collaborative and Swim Across America Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology and Mayer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heather L. McArthur
- Breast Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Mustafa AR, Miyasato D, Wehrenberg-Klee E. Synergizing Thermal Ablation Modalities with Immunotherapy: Enough to Induce Systemic Antitumoral Immunity? J Vasc Interv Radiol 2024; 35:185-197. [PMID: 38272639 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2023.10.033] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Thermal ablation modalities (cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, and microwave ablation) have long been noted to occasionally induce a systemic antitumoral response. With the widespread use of checkpoint inhibitors, there is a significant interest in whether thermal ablation can promote immune system tumor recognition and increase checkpoint inhibitor response rates. In this review, we examine the current state of preclinical and clinical evidence examining the combination of checkpoint inhibitor therapies and thermal ablation modalities as well as discuss remaining the unanswered questions and directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Rehman Mustafa
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Eric Wehrenberg-Klee
- Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Li R, Wang J, Li X, Liang Y, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Xu P, Deng L, Wang Z, Sun T, Wu J, Xie H, Wang Y. T-cell receptor sequencing reveals hepatocellular carcinoma immune characteristics according to Barcelona Clinic liver cancer stages within liver tissue and peripheral blood. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:94-108. [PMID: 37962061 PMCID: PMC10823291 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Analysis of T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoires in different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) might help to elucidate its pathogenesis and progression. This study aimed to investigate TCR profiles in liver biopsies and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in different Barcelona Clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stages of HCC. Ten patients in early stage (BCLC_A), 10 patients in middle stage (BCLC_B), and 10 patients in late stage (BCLC_C) cancer were prospectively enrolled. The liver tumor tissues, adjacent tissues, and PBMCs of each patient were collected and examined by TCR β sequencing. Based on the ImMunoGeneTics (IMGT) database, we aligned the V, D, J, and C gene segments and identified the frequency of CDR3 sequences and amino acids sequence. Diversity of TCR in PBMCs was higher than in both tumor tissues and adjacent tissues, regardless of BCLC stage and postoperative recurrence. TCR clonality was increased in T cells from peripheral blood in advanced HCC, compared with the early and middle stages. No statistical differences were observed between different BCLC stages, either in tumors or adjacent tissues. TCR clonality revealed no significant difference between recurrent tumor and non-recurrent tumor, therefore PBMCs was better to be representative of TCR characteristics in different stages of HCC compared to tumor tissues. Clonal expansion of T cells was associated with low risk of recurrence in HCC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Li
- School of MedicineSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Junxiao Wang
- Interventional Radiology, The Fifth Medical CenterChinese PLA General HospitalBeijingChina
- Aerospace Medical Center, Aerospace Center HospitalPeking University Aerospace Clinical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Xiubin Li
- Department of Urology, The Third Medical CenterChinese PLA General HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Yining Liang
- School of MedicineSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Yiyun Jiang
- Department of Pathology and Hepatology, The Fifth Medical CenterChinese PLA General HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- School of MedicineSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Hangzhou ImmuQuad BiotechnologiesHangzhouChina
| | - Ling Deng
- Hangzhou ImmuQuad BiotechnologiesHangzhouChina
| | - Zhe Wang
- School of MedicineSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Tao Sun
- Hangzhou ImmuQuad BiotechnologiesHangzhouChina
- Institute of Wenzhou, Zhejiang UniversityWenzhouChina
| | - Jian Wu
- Department of Laboratory MedicineThe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Hui Xie
- Interventional Radiology, The Fifth Medical CenterChinese PLA General HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Yijin Wang
- School of MedicineSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mokbel K, Kodresko A, Ghazal H, Mokbel R, Trembley J, Jouhara H. Cryogenic Media in Biomedical Applications: Current Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. In Vivo 2024; 38:1-39. [PMID: 38148045 PMCID: PMC10756490 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13407] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
This paper explores the crucial role of cryogenic mediums in driving breakthroughs within the biomedical sector. The objective was to investigate, critically discuss, and present the current knowledge and state-of-the-art practices, along with the challenges and perspectives of the most common applications. Through an extensive literature review, this work aims to supplement existing research, offering a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the subject. Biomedical research involving cryogenic mediums is advancing on multiple fronts, including the development of advanced medical technologies, clinical treatments for life-threatening conditions, high-quality biospecimen preservation, and antimicrobial interventions in industrial food processing. These advances open new horizons and present cutting-edge opportunities for research and the medical community. While the current body of evidence showcases the impressive impact of cryogenic mediums, such as nitrogen, helium, argon, and oxygen, on revolutionary developments, reaching definitive conclusions on their efficiency and safety remains challenging due to process complexity and research scarcity with a moderate certainty of evidence. Knowledge gaps further underline the need for additional studies to facilitate cryogenic research in developing innovative technological processes in biomedicine. These advancements have the potential to reshape the modern world and significantly enhance the quality of life for people worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kefah Mokbel
- The London Breast Institute, Princess Grace Hospital, London, U.K
| | - Alevtina Kodresko
- Heat Pipe and Thermal Management Research Group, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University, London, U.K
| | - Heba Ghazal
- Kingston University, School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston Upon Thames, U.K
| | - Ramia Mokbel
- The Princess Grace Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, London, U.K
| | - Jon Trembley
- Air Products PLC, Hersham Place Technology Park, Surrey, U.K
| | - Hussam Jouhara
- Heat Pipe and Thermal Management Research Group, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University, London, U.K.;
- Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pigg N, Ward RC. Cryoablation for the Treatment of Breast Cancer: A Review of the Current Landscape and Future Possibilities. Acad Radiol 2023; 30:3086-3100. [PMID: 37596141 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2023.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Traditional treatment options for breast cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, cryoablation, a minimally invasive technique, has emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer. This article aims to provide an overview of cryoablation, focusing on incorporation into practice, patient selection, procedural technique, imaging follow-up, post-treatment radiopathological findings, and current and ongoing research in the field. The current evidence suggests that cryoablation offers a safe and effective treatment option for selected patients, providing comparable oncological outcomes to traditional treatments while minimizing invasiveness and preserving breast aesthetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Pigg
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island.
| | - Robert C Ward
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Das P, Peterson CB, Ni Y, Reuben A, Zhang J, Zhang J, Do KA, Baladandayuthapani V. Bayesian hierarchical quantile regression with application to characterizing the immune architecture of lung cancer. Biometrics 2023; 79:2474-2488. [PMID: 36239535 PMCID: PMC10102253 DOI: 10.1111/biom.13774] [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: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The successful development and implementation of precision immuno-oncology therapies requires a deeper understanding of the immune architecture at a patient level. T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire sequencing is a relatively new technology that enables monitoring of T-cells, a subset of immune cells that play a central role in modulating immune response. These immunologic relationships are complex and are governed by various distributional aspects of an individual patient's tumor profile. We propose Bayesian QUANTIle regression for hierarchical COvariates (QUANTICO) that allows simultaneous modeling of hierarchical relationships between multilevel covariates, conducts explicit variable selection, estimates quantile and patient-specific coefficient effects, to induce individualized inference. We show QUANTICO outperforms existing approaches in multiple simulation scenarios. We demonstrate the utility of QUANTICO to investigate the effect of TCR variables on immune response in a cohort of lung cancer patients. At population level, our analyses reveal the mechanistic role of T-cell proportion on the immune cell abundance, with tumor mutation burden as an important factor modulating this relationship. At a patient level, we find several outlier patients based on their quantile-specific coefficient functions, who have higher mutational rates and different smoking history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priyam Das
- Dept. of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School
| | | | - Yang Ni
- Dept. of Statistics, Texas A&M University
| | - Alexandre Reuben
- Dept. of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | - Jiexin Zhang
- Dept. of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Dept. of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | - Kim-Anh Do
- Dept. of Biostatistics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Mokbel K, Kodresko A, Ghazal H, Mokbel R, Trembley J, Jouhara H. The Evolving Role of Cryosurgery in Breast Cancer Management: A Comprehensive Review. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4272. [PMID: 37686548 PMCID: PMC10486449 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, accounting for approximately one in eight cancer diagnoses worldwide. In 2020, there were approximately 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer globally, resulting in around 685,000 deaths. Consequently, there is an ongoing need to develop innovative therapeutic approaches that can improve both clinical outcomes and patient quality of life. The use of ultra-low cryogenic temperatures, facilitated by cryogenic media such as liquid nitrogen, has revolutionized the biomedical field and opened up new possibilities for advanced clinical treatments, including cryosurgery. Cryosurgery has demonstrated its feasibility as a minimally invasive technique for destroying breast tumors and eliciting a significant antitumor immune response in the host. This feature sets cryosurgery apart from other ablative techniques. It has been shown to be well tolerated and effective, offering several advantages such as simplicity, the avoidance of general anesthesia, minimal pain, low morbidity, short recovery time, cost-effectiveness, and notably, improved aesthetic outcomes. The reviewed studies indicate that cryosurgery holds promise in the management of early-stage breast cancer and metastatic disease, especially in triple-negative and Her2-positive molecular subtypes in conjunction with checkpoint inhibitors and anti-Her2 antibodies, respectively. Furthermore, the effectiveness of cryosurgery in the management of ductal carcinoma in situ should be investigated as an alternative modality to surgery or surveillance. The minimally invasive nature of cryosurgery has the potential to significantly enhance the quality of life for patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kefah Mokbel
- The London Breast Institute, Princess Grace Hospital, London W1U 5NY, UK
| | - Alevtina Kodresko
- Heat Pipe and Thermal Management Research Group, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University, London UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Heba Ghazal
- School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Ramia Mokbel
- The Princess Grace Hospital, Part of HCA Healthcare UK, London W1U 5NY, UK
| | - Jon Trembley
- Air Products PLC, Hersham Place Technology Park, Molesey Road, Surrey KT12 4RZ, UK
| | - Hussam Jouhara
- Heat Pipe and Thermal Management Research Group, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University, London UB8 3PH, UK
- Vytautas Magnus University, Studentu Street 11, LT-53362 Akademija, Kaunas District, Lithuania
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Holmes D, Iyengar G. Breast Cancer Cryoablation in the Multidisciplinary Setting: Practical Guidelines for Patients and Physicians. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1756. [PMID: 37629613 PMCID: PMC10456083 DOI: 10.3390/life13081756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer cryoablation has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to lumpectomy for treating early-stage breast cancer. However, no consensus exists on what should be considered the standard of care for the multidisciplinary management of patients treated with breast cancer cryoablation. In lieu of national guidelines, this review of the literature provides a multidisciplinary framework and an evidence-based discussion of the integration of "standard of care practices" in the comprehensive management of breast cancer cryoablation patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Holmes
- Adventist Health Glendale, 1505 Wilson Terrace, Suite 370, Glendale, CA 91206, USA
| | - Geeta Iyengar
- Medical Imaging Center of Southern California, 8727 Beverly Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90048, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Chehelgerdi M, Chehelgerdi M. The use of RNA-based treatments in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:106. [PMID: 37420174 PMCID: PMC10401791 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01807-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, mRNA vaccines have evolved from a theoretical concept to a clinical reality. These vaccines offer several advantages over traditional vaccine techniques, including their high potency, rapid development, low-cost manufacturing, and safe administration. However, until recently, concerns over the instability and inefficient distribution of mRNA in vivo have limited their utility. Fortunately, recent technological advancements have mostly resolved these concerns, resulting in the development of numerous mRNA vaccination platforms for infectious diseases and various types of cancer. These platforms have shown promising outcomes in both animal models and humans. This study highlights the potential of mRNA vaccines as a promising alternative approach to conventional vaccine techniques and cancer treatment. This review article aims to provide a thorough and detailed examination of mRNA vaccines, including their mechanisms of action and potential applications in cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, the article will analyze the current state of mRNA vaccine technology and highlight future directions for the development and implementation of this promising vaccine platform as a mainstream therapeutic option. The review will also discuss potential challenges and limitations of mRNA vaccines, such as their stability and in vivo distribution, and suggest ways to overcome these issues. By providing a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of mRNA vaccines, this review aims to contribute to the advancement of this innovative approach to cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran.
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Matin Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Khan F, Jones K, Lyon P. Immune checkpoint inhibition: a future guided by radiology. Br J Radiol 2023; 96:20220565. [PMID: 36752570 PMCID: PMC10321249 DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20220565] [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: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The limitation of the function of antitumour immune cells is a common hallmark of cancers that enables their survival. As such, the potential of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) acts as a paradigm shift in the treatment of a range of cancers but has not yet been fully capitalised. Combining minimally and non-invasive locoregional therapies offered by radiologists with ICI is now an active field of research with the aim of furthering therapeutic capabilities in medical oncology. In parallel to this impending advancement, the "imaging toolbox" available to radiologists is also growing, enabling more refined tumour characterisation as well as greater accuracy in evaluating responses to therapy. Options range from metabolite labelling to cellular localisation to immune checkpoint screening. It is foreseeable that these novel imaging techniques will be integrated into personalised treatment algorithms. This growth in the field must include updating the current standardised imaging criteria to ensure they are fit for purpose. Such criteria is crucial to both appropriately guide clinical decision-making regarding next steps of treatment, but also provide reliable prognosis. Quantitative approaches to these novel imaging techniques are also already being investigated to further optimise personalised therapeutic decision-making. The therapeutic potential of specific ICIs and locoregional therapies could be determined before administration thus limiting unnecessary side-effects whilst maintaining efficacy. Several radiological aspects of oncological care are advancing simultaneously. Therefore, it is essential that each development is assessed for clinical use and optimised to ensure the best treatment decisions are being offered to the patient. In this review, we discuss state of the art advances in novel functional imaging techniques in the field of immuno-oncology both pre-clinically and clinically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Faraaz Khan
- Foundation Doctor, Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
| | - Keaton Jones
- Academic Clinical Lecturer Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Lyon
- Consultant Radiologist, Department of Radiology, Oxford University Hospitals, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Luo J, Wang X, Zou Y, Chen L, Liu W, Zhang W, Li SC. Quantitative annotations of T-Cell repertoire specificity. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbad175. [PMID: 37150761 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad175] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The specificity of a T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire determines personalized immune capacity. Existing methods have modeled the qualitative aspects of TCR specificity, while the quantitative aspects remained unaddressed. We developed a package, TCRanno, to quantify the specificity of TCR repertoires. We created deep-learning-based, epitope-aware vector embeddings to infer individual TCR specificity. Then we aggregated clonotype frequencies of TCRs to obtain a quantitative profile of repertoire specificity at epitope, antigen and organism levels. Applying TCRanno to 4195 TCR repertoires revealed quantitative changes in repertoire specificity upon infections, autoimmunity and cancers. Specifically, TCRanno found cytomegalovirus-specific TCRs in seronegative healthy individuals, supporting the possibility of abortive infections. TCRanno discovered age-accumulated fraction of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 specific TCRs in pre-pandemic samples, which may explain the aggressive symptoms and age-related severity of coronavirus disease 2019. TCRanno also identified the encounter of Hepatitis B antigens as a potential trigger of systemic lupus erythematosus. TCRanno annotations showed capability in distinguishing TCR repertoires of healthy and cancers including melanoma, lung and breast cancers. TCRanno also demonstrated usefulness to single-cell TCRseq+gene expression data analyses by isolating T-cells with the specificity of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Luo
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xueying Wang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yiping Zou
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lingxi Chen
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shuai Cheng Li
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Tree Ave, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Xie L, Meng Z. Immunomodulatory effect of locoregional therapy in the tumor microenvironment. Mol Ther 2023; 31:951-969. [PMID: 36694462 PMCID: PMC10124087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy appears to be a promising treatment option; however, only a subset of patients with cancer responds favorably to treatment. Locoregional therapy initiates a local antitumor immune response by disrupting immunosuppressive components, releasing immunostimulatory damage-associated molecular patterns, recruiting immune effectors, and remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Many studies have shown that locoregional therapy can produce specific antitumor immunity alone; nevertheless, the effect is relatively weak and transient. Furthermore, increasing research efforts have explored the potential synergy between locoregional therapy and immunotherapy to enhance the long-term systemic antitumor immune effect and improve survival. Therefore, further research is needed into the immunomodulatory effects of locoregional therapy and immunotherapy to augment antitumor effects. This review article summarizes the key components of the tumor microenvironment, discusses the immunomodulatory role of locoregional therapy in the tumor microenvironment, and emphasizes the therapeutic potential of locoregional therapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xie
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China
| | - Zhiqiang Meng
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Yao G, Huang J, Zhang Q, Hu D, Yuan F, Han G. Excellent response of refractory triple-negative breast cancer to sintilimab plus chemotherapy: a case report. Immunotherapy 2023; 15:221-228. [PMID: 36789554 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2022-0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a high propensity for invasion and a high incidence of lymph node metastasis. Systemic chemotherapy is considered the primary treatment for patients with TNBC; however, immune checkpoint inhibitors in addition to chemotherapy have been associated with better outcomes. Sintilimab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, was developed in China. Herein, the authors report a 49-year-old woman diagnosed with TNBC with extensive lung and sternal metastases. Treatment with sintilimab plus paclitaxel and carboplatin was found highly effective after failure of first-line chemotherapy. This combinational therapy can be considered for the treatment of TNBC after necessary investigations and clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guojun Yao
- Radiotherapy Center of Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Junping Huang
- Oncology department of HuBei Jianghan Oilfield General Hospital, China
| | - Qu Zhang
- Radiotherapy Center of Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Desheng Hu
- Radiotherapy Center of Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Yuan
- Breast Cancer Center of Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guang Han
- Radiotherapy Center of Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Gao B, Wang Y, Li C, Lu S. Estrogen-related genes influence immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1114717. [PMID: 36814910 PMCID: PMC9939443 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1114717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immunotherapy has been the first-line treatment option in advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma(HCC); but now, there are no established molecular markers that can predict immunotherapy response. Estrogen has a crucial role in the development of a variety of liver illnesses, including liver fibrosis, Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and HCC. Nonetheless, the significance of estrogen-related genes in HCC immunotherapy and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Method In this study, we constructed a novel estrogen-related gene prognostic signature (ERGPS) by analyzing bulk RNA sequencing data from 365 HCC patients. Based on the median risk score, we divided 365 HCC patients into low- and high-risk groups. Tumor mutation burden (TMB), Microsatellite instability (MSI), T cell receptor (TCR) richness, B cell receptor (BCR) richness, single-nucleotide variants (SNV) Neoantigens, Cancer Testicular Antigens (CTA) scores, and Tumour Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores were used to evaluate the magnitude of immunotherapy response. Multiple external datasets validate the validity and robustness of the prognostic signature. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate estrogen-related gene overexpression in HCC tissue samples. Results ERGPS is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of HCC patients and is superior to other clinical variables in predicting patient survival and immunotherapy response. Multiple independent external datasets confirmed the superior predictive efficacy of the prognostic signature. The prognostic signature was positively correlated with TMB score, MSI score, TCR richness, BCR richness, SNV Neoantigens score, CTA score, expression levels of immune checkpoint-related genes, and TIDE score. Patients with HCC in the high-risk group identified by the prognostic signature were likely to be more responsive to immunotherapy and more suitable for immunotherapy. qRT-PCR confirmed that estrogen-related genes of the construct signature were highly expressed in HCC tumor tissues. Conclusion Estrogen-related genes are overexpressed in HCC tissues. Our novel prognostic signature can accurately predict not only the prognosis but also the immunotherapy response of HCC patients. In the future, prognostic signatures will be a useful tool for clinicians to screen patients with HCC who are suitable for immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Biao Gao
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chonghui Li
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China,Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Chonghui Li, ; Shichun Lu,
| | - Shichun Lu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China,Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Chonghui Li, ; Shichun Lu,
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhang X, Wu J, Qiao L, Chen L, Chen C, Zhang H, Luo R, Xiao Y. Case report: Cryoablation as a novel bridging strategy prior to CAR-T cell therapy for B cell malignancies with bulky disease. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1008828. [PMID: 36776338 PMCID: PMC9911860 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1008828] [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: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has emerged as a powerful immunotherapy in relapsed/refractory (R/R) hematological malignancies, especially in R/R B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (B-ALL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and multiple myeloma (MM). To prevent disease progression and reduce tumor burden during CAR-T cell manufacturing, bridging therapies prior to CAR-T cell infusion are crucial. At present, it has been demonstrated that targeted therapy, radiotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) could serve as effective bridging strategies. However, whether cryoablation could serve as a novel bridging strategy is unknown. In this paper, we report 2 cases of R/R B cell malignancies with bulky disease that were successfully treated with a combination of cryoablation and CAR-T cell therapy. Patient 1 was a 65-year-old female who was diagnosed with R/R MM with extramedullary disease (EMD). She was enrolled in the anti-BCMA CAR-T cell clinical trial. Patient 2 was a 70-year-old man who presented with a subcutaneous mass in the right anterior thigh and was diagnosed with primary cutaneous diffuse large B cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL-LT) 1 year ago. He failed multiline chemotherapies as well as radiotherapy. Thus, he requested anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. Unfortunately, they all experienced local progression during CAR-T cell manufacturing. To rapidly achieve local tumor control and reduce tumor burden, they both received cryoablation as a bridging therapy. Patient 1 achieved a very good partial response (VGPR) 1 month after CAR-T cell infusion, and patient 2 achieved a partial response (PR) 1 month after CAR-T cell infusion. In addition, adverse effects were tolerable and manageable. Our study demonstrated the favorable safety and efficacy of combination therapy with cryoablation and CAR-T cell therapy for the first time, and it also indicates that cryoablation could serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for local tumor control in B cell malignancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China,Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinming Wu
- Department of Hematology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liangliang Qiao
- Department of Hematology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixuan Chen
- Department of Hematology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China,Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chaolin Chen
- Translational Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- School of Medicine, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Rongcheng Luo
- Thoracic Surgery, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Institute of Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China,Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Pilot Free Trade Zone Hospital, Shenzhen, China,*Correspondence: Yang Xiao,
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Høye E, Dagenborg VJ, Torgunrud A, Lund-Andersen C, Fretland ÅA, Lorenz S, Edwin B, Hovig E, Fromm B, Inderberg EM, Greiff V, Ree AH, Flatmark K. T cell receptor repertoire sequencing reveals chemotherapy-driven clonal expansion in colorectal liver metastases. Gigascience 2022; 12:giad032. [PMID: 37161965 PMCID: PMC10170408 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giad032] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal liver metastasis (CLM) is a leading cause of colorectal cancer mortality, and the response to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in microsatellite-stable CRC has been disappointing. Administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy may cause increased density of tumor-infiltrating T cells, which has been associated with improved response to ICI. This study aimed to quantify and characterize T-cell infiltration in CLM using T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire sequencing. Eighty-five resected CLMs from patients included in the Oslo CoMet study were subjected to TCR repertoire sequencing. Thirty-five and 15 patients had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) within a short or long interval, respectively, prior to resection, while 35 patients had not been exposed to NACT. T-cell fractions were calculated, repertoire clonality was analyzed based on Hill evenness curves, and TCR sequence convergence was assessed using network analysis. RESULTS Increased T-cell fractions (10.6% vs. 6.3%) were detected in CLMs exposed to NACT within a short interval prior to resection, while modestly increased clonality was observed in NACT-exposed tumors independently of the timing of NACT administration and surgery. While private clones made up >90% of detected clones, network connectivity analysis revealed that public clones contributed the majority of TCR sequence convergence. CONCLUSIONS TCR repertoire sequencing can be used to quantify T-cell infiltration and clonality in clinical samples. This study provides evidence to support chemotherapy-driven T-cell clonal expansion in CLM in a clinical context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eirik Høye
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vegar J Dagenborg
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| | - Annette Torgunrud
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| | - Christin Lund-Andersen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Åsmund A Fretland
- The Intervention Centre, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Susanne Lorenz
- Department of Core Facilities, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Edwin
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
- The Intervention Centre, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Eivind Hovig
- Center for Bioinformatics, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Bastian Fromm
- The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Else M Inderberg
- Translational Research Unit, Department of Cellular Therapy, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| | - Victor Greiff
- Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne H Ree
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Oncology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Kjersti Flatmark
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Yang P, He Y, Qing P, Xu W, Xie D, Cazier J, Liu X, Varnai C, Zhou Y, Zhao Y, Tang H, Yin X, Liu Y. Application of T-cell receptor repertoire as a novel monitor in dynamic tracking and assessment: A cohort-study based on RA patients. J Cell Mol Med 2022; 26:6042-6055. [PMID: 36440548 PMCID: PMC9753462 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell receptor repertoire (TCRR) sequencing has been widely applied in many fields as a novel tool. This study explored characteristics of TCRR in detail with a cohort of 598 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients before and after anti-rheumatic treatments. We highlighted the abnormal TCRR distribution in RA characterized by decreased diversity and increased proportion of hyperexpanded clones (HECs), which was potentially attributed to skewed usage of global V/J segments but not a few certain ones. Enriched motifs analysis in RA community demonstrated the huge heterogeneity of CDR3 sequences, so that individual factors are strongly recommended to be taken into consideration when it comes to clinical application of TCRR. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can regulate immune system through recovery of TCRR richness to relieve symptoms. Remarkably, sensitive gene profile and advantageous gene profile were identified in this study as new biomarkers for different DMARDs regimens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peiqing Yang
- Department of Rheumatology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yijing He
- Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine CenterWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina,Laboratory of Nervous System Disease and Brain Functions, Clinical Research InstituteThe Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Pingying Qing
- Department of Rheumatology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Wangdong Xu
- Department of Rheumatology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina,Department of Evidence‐Based MedicineSchool of Public Health, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Dan Xie
- Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine CenterWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | | | - Xiao Liu
- BGI‐Shenzhen and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Transomics BiotechnologiesBGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina
| | - Csilla Varnai
- Center for Computational BiologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Medical Affairs, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yi Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Huairong Tang
- Health Management CenterWest China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | | | - Yi Liu
- Department of Rheumatology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Pan M, Li B. T cell receptor convergence is an indicator of antigen-specific T cell response in cancer immunotherapies. eLife 2022; 11:e81952. [PMID: 36350695 PMCID: PMC9683788 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells are potent at eliminating pathogens and playing a crucial role in the adaptive immune response. T cell receptor (TCR) convergence describes T cells that share identical TCRs with the same amino acid sequences but have different DNA sequences due to codon degeneracy. We conducted a systematic investigation of TCR convergence using single-cell immune profiling and bulk TCRβ-sequence (TCR-seq) data obtained from both mouse and human samples and uncovered a strong link between antigen-specificity and convergence. This association was stronger than T cell expansion, a putative indicator of antigen-specific T cells. By using flow-sorted tetramer+ single T cell data, we discovered that convergent T cells were enriched for a neoantigen-specific CD8+ effector phenotype in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, TCR convergence demonstrated better prediction accuracy for immunotherapy response than the existing TCR repertoire indexes. In conclusion, convergent T cells are likely to be antigen-specific and might be a novel prognostic biomarker for anti-cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingyao Pan
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Bo Li
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Olagunju A, Forsman T, Ward RC. An update on the use of cryoablation and immunotherapy for breast cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1026475. [PMID: 36389815 PMCID: PMC9647043 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1026475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of cryoablation, a minimally-invasive image-guided technique to target and kill cancer cells, continues to gain traction within the medical field and with patients. This includes the use of cryoablation for the treatment of small breast cancers and focal sites of metastatic disease. In comparison to open surgical approaches, length of hospital stay and recovery time are decreased with the use of cryoablation. Research studies have also found that cryoablation may actually enhance tumor susceptibility to immunotherapy agents. Immunotherapy enhances a person's own immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. It is proposed that after cryoablation there is increased expression of tumor specific antigens which the body can recognize as foreign invaders and with the combination of immunotherapy, result in an even more robust and efficient attack on the cancer cells. In this review we aim to highlight some of the recent advances in cryoablation which support the potential for cryoablation to induce these tumor-specific immune responses and thus supporting the use of combining cryoablation and immunotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akindele Olagunju
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Tia Forsman
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Robert C. Ward
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
He J, Shen J, Luo W, Han Z, Xie F, Pang T, Liao L, Guo Z, Li J, Li Y, Chen H. Research progress on application of single-cell TCR/BCR sequencing technology to the tumor immune microenvironment, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:969808. [PMID: 36059506 PMCID: PMC9434330 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.969808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell omics is the profiling of individual cells through sequencing and other technologies including high-throughput analysis for single-cell resolution, cell classification, and identification as well as time series analyses. Unlike multicellular studies, single-cell omics overcomes the problem of cellular heterogeneity. It provides new methods and perspectives for in-depth analyses of the behavior and mechanism of individual cells in the cell population and their relationship with the body, and plays an important role in basic research and precision medicine. Single-cell sequencing technologies mainly include single-cell transcriptome sequencing, single-cell assay for transposase accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing, single-cell immune profiling (single-cell T-cell receptor [TCR]/B-cell receptor [BCR] sequencing), and single-cell transcriptomics. Single-cell TCR/BCR sequencing can be used to obtain a large amount of single-cell gene expression and immunomics data at one time, and combined with transcriptome sequencing and TCR/BCR diversity data, can resolve immune cell heterogeneity. This paper summarizes the progress in applying single-cell TCR/BCR sequencing technology to the tumor immune microenvironment, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, immunotherapy, and chronic inflammatory diseases, and discusses its shortcomings and prospects for future application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinhua He
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Shen
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Luo
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeping Han
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangmei Xie
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Pang
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liyin Liao
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhonghui Guo
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianhao Li
- Institute of Cardiovascular Medicine, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanwei Chen, ; Yuguang Li, ; Jianhao Li,
| | - Yuguang Li
- Administrative Office, He Xian Memorial Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanwei Chen, ; Yuguang Li, ; Jianhao Li,
| | - Hanwei Chen
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
- Medical Imaging Institute of Panyu, Central Hospital of Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanwei Chen, ; Yuguang Li, ; Jianhao Li,
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Song P, Li W, Guo L, Ying J, Gao S, He J. Identification and Validation of a Novel Signature Based on NK Cell Marker Genes to Predict Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Lung Adenocarcinoma by Integrated Analysis of Single-Cell and Bulk RNA-Sequencing. Front Immunol 2022; 13:850745. [PMID: 35757748 PMCID: PMC9231585 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.850745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells, the effectors of the innate immune system, have a remarkable influence on cancer prognosis and immunotherapy. In this study, a total of 1,816 samples from nine independent cohorts in public datasets were enrolled. We first conducted a comprehensive analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and determined 189 NK cell marker genes. Subsequently, we developed a seven-gene prognostic signature based on NK cell marker genes in the TCGA LUAD cohort, which stratified patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The predictive power of the signature was well verified in different clinical subgroups and GEO cohorts. With a multivariate analysis, the signature was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Low-risk patients had higher immune cell infiltration states, especially CD8+ T cells and follicular helper T cells. There existed a negative association between inflammatory activities and risk score, and the richness and diversity of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire was higher in the low-risk groups. Importantly, analysis of an independent immunotherapy cohort (IMvigor210) revealed that low-risk patients had better immunotherapy responses and prognosis than high-risk patients. Collectively, our study developed a novel signature based on NK cell marker genes, which had a potent capability to predict the prognosis and immunotherapy response of LUAD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbin Li
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Guo
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianming Ying
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shugeng Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ju M, Fan J, Zou Y, Yu M, Jiang L, Wei Q, Bi J, Hu B, Guan Q, Song X, Dong M, Wang L, Yu L, Wang Y, Kang H, Xin W, Zhao L. Computational Recognition of a Regulatory T-cell-specific Signature With Potential Implications in Prognosis, Immunotherapy, and Therapeutic Resistance of Prostate Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:807840. [PMID: 35812443 PMCID: PMC9259848 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.807840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer, recognized as a "cold" tumor, has an immunosuppressive microenvironment in which regulatory T cells (Tregs) usually play a major role. Therefore, identifying a prognostic signature of Tregs has promising benefits of improving survival of prostate cancer patients. However, the traditional methods of Treg quantification usually suffer from bias and variability. Transcriptional characteristics have recently been found to have a predictive power for the infiltration of Tregs. Thus, a novel machine learning-based computational framework has been presented using Tregs and 19 other immune cell types using 42 purified immune cell datasets from GEO to identify Treg-specific mRNAs, and a prognostic signature of Tregs (named "TILTregSig") consisting of five mRNAs (SOCS2, EGR1, RRM2, TPP1, and C11orf54) was developed and validated to monitor the prognosis of prostate cancer using the TCGA and ICGC datasets. The TILTregSig showed a stronger predictive power for tumor immunity compared with tumor mutation burden and glycolytic activity, which have been reported as immune predictors. Further analyses indicate that the TILTregSig might influence tumor immunity mainly by mediating tumor-infiltrating Tregs and could be a powerful predictor for Tregs in prostate cancer. Moreover, the TILTregSig showed a promising potential for predicting cancer immunotherapy (CIT) response in five CIT response datasets and therapeutic resistance in the GSCALite dataset in multiple cancers. Our TILTregSig derived from PBMCs makes it possible to achieve a straightforward, noninvasive, and inexpensive detection assay for prostate cancer compared with the current histopathological examination that requires invasive tissue puncture, which lays the foundation for the future development of a panel of different molecules in peripheral blood comprising a biomarker of prostate cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingyi Ju
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jingyi Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yuanjiang Zou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mingjie Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Longyang Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qian Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jia Bi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Baohui Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiutong Guan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xinyue Song
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mingyan Dong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lifeng Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hui Kang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wei Xin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, Liaoning Cancer Immune Peptide Drug Engineering Technology Research Center, Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Page DB, Beal K, Linch SN, Spinelli KJ, Rodine M, Halpenny D, Modi S, Patil S, Young RJ, Kaley T, Merghoub T, Redmond D, Wong P, Barker CA, Diab A, Norton L, McArthur HL. Brain radiotherapy, tremelimumab-mediated CTLA-4-directed blockade +/- trastuzumab in patients with breast cancer brain metastases. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:50. [PMID: 35440655 PMCID: PMC9018738 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00404-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) are a common and devastating complication of metastatic breast cancer with conventional systemic therapies demonstrating limited effectiveness. Consequently, radiotherapy (RT) ± surgery remains the cornerstone of BCBM management. Because preclinical and clinical evidence indicate that immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) may synergize with RT to promote systemic tumor regression, we explored the safety and efficacy of RT and concurrent tremelimumab-mediated cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) ICB with tremelimumab ± HER2-directed therapy with trastuzumab for BCBM. Eligible patients had BCBM indicated for brain RT. A Simon two-stage design was adopted to evaluate the efficacy of tremelimumab and RT in 20 patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor normal (HER2-) BCBM. The safety of concurrent RT, tremelimumab, and trastuzumab was evaluated in a cohort of 6 HER2+ patients. The primary endpoint was 12-week non-central nervous system (CNS) disease control rate (DCR). Secondary endpoints included safety, survival, and CNS response. Exploratory correlatives included characterization of peripheral blood immune responses among exceptional responders. Tremelimumab plus RT ± trastuzumab was tolerated with no treatment-related grade 4 adverse events reported. The 12-week non-CNS DCR was 10% (2/20) in the HER2- cohort and 33% (2/6) in the HER2+ cohort. One patient with HER2+ disease experienced a durable partial response with evidence of peripheral T-cell activation. Thus, tremelimumab and RT ± trastuzumab was tolerated. Although modest clinical activity was observed in the HER2- efficacy cohort, encouraging responses were observed in the HER2+ safety cohort. Consequently, a trial to determine efficacy in HER2+ BCBM is planned.Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT02563925.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David B Page
- Providence Cancer Institute, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 NE Glisan St., Portland, OR, 97213, USA
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Kathryn Beal
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Stefanie N Linch
- Providence Cancer Institute, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 NE Glisan St., Portland, OR, 97213, USA
| | - Kateri J Spinelli
- Providence Cancer Institute, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, 4805 NE Glisan St., Portland, OR, 97213, USA
| | - Micaela Rodine
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Darragh Halpenny
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Shanu Modi
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Sujata Patil
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Robert J Young
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Thomas Kaley
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Taha Merghoub
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - David Redmond
- Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Phillip Wong
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Christopher A Barker
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Adi Diab
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Larry Norton
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Heather L McArthur
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Aran A, Garrigós L, Curigliano G, Cortés J, Martí M. Evaluation of the TCR Repertoire as a Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker in Cancer: Diversity or Clonality? Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071771. [PMID: 35406543 PMCID: PMC8996954 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The TCR is the T cell antigen receptor, and it is responsible of the T cell activation, through the HLA-antigen complex recognition. Studying the TCR repertoire in patients with cancer can help to better understand the anti-tumoural responses and it has been suggested to have predictive and or/prognostic values, both for the disease and in response to treatments. The aim of this review is to summarize TCR repertoire studies performed in patients with cancer found in the literature, thoroughly analyse the different factors that can be involved in shaping the TCR repertoire, and draw the current conclusions in this field, especially focusing on whether the TCR diversity—or its opposite, the clonality—can be used as predictors or prognostic biomarkers of the disease. Abstract T cells play a vital role in the anti-tumoural response, and the presence of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes has shown to be directly correlated with a good prognosis in several cancer types. Nevertheless, some patients presenting tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes do not have favourable outcomes. The TCR determines the specificities of T cells, so the analysis of the TCR repertoire has been recently considered to be a potential biomarker for patients’ progression and response to therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The TCR repertoire is one of the multiple elements comprising the immune system and is conditioned by several factors, including tissue type, tumour mutational burden, and patients’ immunogenetics. Its study is crucial to understanding the anti-tumoural response, how to beneficially modulate the immune response with current or new treatments, and how to better predict the prognosis. Here, we present a critical review including essential studies on TCR repertoire conducted in patients with cancer with the aim to draw the current conclusions and try to elucidate whether it is better to encounter higher clonality with few TCRs at higher frequencies, or higher diversity with many different TCRs at lower frequencies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Aran
- Immunology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Biotecnologia I Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
| | - Laia Garrigós
- International Breast Cancer Center (IBCC), 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (L.G.); (J.C.)
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of Early Drug Development, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milano, Italy;
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milano, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Javier Cortés
- International Breast Cancer Center (IBCC), 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (L.G.); (J.C.)
- Medica Scientia Innovation Research (MedSIR), 08018 Barcelona, Spain
- Medica Scientia Innovation Research (MedSIR), Ridgewood, NJ 07450, USA
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercè Martí
- Immunology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Biotecnologia I Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-935812409
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Keup C, Kimmig R, Kasimir-Bauer S. Combinatorial Power of cfDNA, CTCs and EVs in Oncology. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:870. [PMID: 35453918 PMCID: PMC9031112 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12040870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid biopsy is a promising technique for clinical management of oncological patients. The diversity of analytes circulating in the blood useable for liquid biopsy testing is enormous. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and extracellular vesicles (EVs), as well as blood cells and other soluble components in the plasma, were shown as liquid biopsy analytes. A few studies directly comparing two liquid biopsy analytes showed a benefit of one analyte over the other, while most authors concluded the benefit of the additional analyte. Only three years ago, the first studies to examine the value of a characterization of more than two liquid biopsy analytes from the same sample were conducted. We attempt to reflect on the recent development of multimodal liquid biopsy testing in this review. Although the analytes and clinical purposes of the published multimodal studies differed significantly, the additive value of the analytes was concluded in almost all projects. Thus, the blood components, as liquid biopsy reservoirs, are complementary rather than competitive, and orthogonal data sets were even shown to harbor synergistic effects. The unmistakable potential of multimodal liquid biopsy testing, however, is dampened by its clinical utility, which is yet to be proven, the lack of methodical standardization and insufficiently mature reimbursement, logistics and data handling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Keup
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Rainer Kimmig
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Sabine Kasimir-Bauer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Target DNA- and pH-responsive DNA hydrogel-based capillary assay for the optical detection of short SARS-CoV-2 cDNA. Mikrochim Acta 2021; 189:34. [PMID: 34940928 PMCID: PMC8695668 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-021-05138-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
DNA is recognized as a powerful biomarker for clinical diagnostics because its specific sequences are closely related to the cause and development of diseases. However, achieving rapid, low-cost, and sensitive detection of short-length target DNA still remains a considerable challenge. Herein, we successfully combine the catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) technique with capillary action to develop a new and cost-effective method, a target DNA- and pH-responsive DNA hydrogel–based capillary assay, for the naked eye detection of 24 nt short single-stranded target DNA. Upon contact of target DNA, three individual hairpin DNAs hybridize with each other to sufficiently amplify Y-shaped DNA nanostructures (Y-DNA) until they are completely consumed via CHA cycling reactions. Each arm of the resultant Y-DNA contains sticky ends with i-motif DNA structure-forming sequences that can be self-assembled in an acidic environment (pH 5.0) to form target DNA- and pH-responsive DNA hydrogels by means of i-motif DNA-driven crosslinking. When inserting a capillary tube in the resultant solution, the liquid level inside clearly reduces due to the decrease in capillary force induced by the gels. In this way, the developed assay demonstrates sensitive and quantitative detection, with a detection limit of approximately 10 pM of 24 nt short complementary DNA (cDNA) targeting SARS-CoV-2 RNA genes at room temperature within 1 h. The assay is further shown to successfully detect target cDNA in serum, and it is also applied to detect several types of target sequences. Requiring no analytic equipment, precise temperature control, or enzymatic reactions, the developed DNA hydrogel–based capillary assay has potential as a promising naked eye detection platform for target DNA in resource-limited clinical settings.
Collapse
|
36
|
Cardinale A, De Luca CD, Locatelli F, Velardi E. Thymic Function and T-Cell Receptor Repertoire Diversity: Implications for Patient Response to Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:752042. [PMID: 34899700 PMCID: PMC8652142 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.752042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The capacity of T cells to recognize and mount an immune response against tumor antigens depends on the large diversity of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire generated in the thymus during the process of T-cell development. However, this process is dramatically impaired by immunological insults, such as that caused by cytoreductive cancer therapies and infections, and by the physiological decline of thymic function with age. Defective thymic function and a skewed TCR repertoire can have significant clinical consequences. The presence of an adequate pool of T cells capable of recognizing specific tumor antigens is a prerequisite for the success of cancer immunotherapy using checkpoint blockade therapy. However, while this approach has improved the chances of survival of patients with different types of cancer, a large proportion of them do not respond. The limited response rate to checkpoint blockade therapy may be linked to a suboptimal TCR repertoire in cancer patients prior to therapy. Here, we focus on the role of the thymus in shaping the T-cell pool in health and disease, discuss how the TCR repertoire influences patients’ response to checkpoint blockade therapy and highlight approaches able to manipulate thymic function to enhance anti-tumor immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Cardinale
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | | | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Department of Maternal and Child Health, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Velardi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Chen N, Higashiyama N, Hoyos V. Predictive Biomarkers of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response in Breast Cancer: Looking beyond Tumoral PD-L1. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1863. [PMID: 34944679 PMCID: PMC8698415 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors utilize the immune system to kill cancer cells and are now widely applied across numerous malignancies. Pembrolizumab has two breast-specific indications in triple-negative disease. Currently, programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression on tumor and surrounding immune cells is the only validated predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in breast cancer; however, it can be imprecise. Additional biomarkers are needed to identify the patient population who will derive the most benefit from these therapies. The tumor immune microenvironment contains many biomarker candidates. In tumor cells, tumor mutational burden has emerged as a robust biomarker across malignancies in general, with higher burden cancers demonstrating improved response, but will need further refinement for less mutated cancers. Preliminary studies suggest that mutations in breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA-2) are associated with increased immune infiltration and response to ICI therapy. Other genomic alterations are also being investigated as potential predictive biomarkers. In immune cells, increased quantity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells have correlated with response to immunotherapy treatment. The role of other immune cell phenotypes is being investigated. Peripherally, many liquid-based biomarker strategies such as PD-L1 expression on circulating tumor cells and peripheral immune cell quantification are being studied; however, these strategies require further standardization and refinement prior to large-scale testing. Ultimately, multiple biomarkers utilized together may be needed to best identify the appropriate patients for these treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Chen
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (N.H.); (V.H.)
| | | | - Valentina Hoyos
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (N.H.); (V.H.)
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Berner F, Niederer R, Luimstra JJ, Pop OT, Jochum AK, Purde MT, Hasan Ali O, Bomze D, Bauer J, Freudenmann LK, Marcu A, Wolfschmitt EM, Haen S, Gross T, Dubbelaar ML, Abdou MT, Baumgaertner P, Appenzeller C, Cicin-Sain C, Lenz T, Speiser DE, Ludewig B, Driessen C, Jörger M, Früh M, Jochum W, Cozzio A, Rammensee HG, Walz J, Neefjes J, Flatz L. Keratinocyte differentiation antigen-specific T cells in immune checkpoint inhibitor-treated NSCLC patients are associated with improved survival. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:2006893. [PMID: 34858733 PMCID: PMC8632109 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.2006893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by reinvigorating tumor-specific T cell responses. However, the specificity of such T cells and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-associated epitopes recognized, remain elusive. In this study, we identified NSCLC T cell epitopes of recently described NSCLC-associated antigens, termed keratinocyte differentiation antigens. Epitopes of these antigens were presented by HLA-A 03:01 and HLA-C 04:01 and were associated with responses to ICI therapy. Patients with CD8+ T cell responses to these epitopes had improved overall and progression-free survival. T cells specific for such epitopes could eliminate HLA class I-matched NSCLC cells ex vivo and were enriched in patient lung tumors. The identification of novel lung cancer HLA-associated epitopes that correlate with improved ICI-dependent treatment outcomes suggests that keratinocyte-specific proteins are important tumor-associated antigens in NSCLC. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanisms of ICI therapy and may help support the development of vaccination strategies to improve ICI-based treatment of these tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fiamma Berner
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Rebekka Niederer
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Dermatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Jolien J Luimstra
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Oltin Tiberiu Pop
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Ann-Kristin Jochum
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Mette-Triin Purde
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Omar Hasan Ali
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Bomze
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Jens Bauer
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lena Katharina Freudenmann
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ana Marcu
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Wolfschmitt
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Haen
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thorben Gross
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marissa Lisa Dubbelaar
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marie-Therese Abdou
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Petra Baumgaertner
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christina Appenzeller
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Caroline Cicin-Sain
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Lenz
- Research Unit Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel E Speiser
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Burkhard Ludewig
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Driessen
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Markus Jörger
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Martin Früh
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wolfram Jochum
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Cozzio
- Department of Dermatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Georg Rammensee
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Juliane Walz
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases (RBCT), Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jacques Neefjes
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lukas Flatz
- Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Dermatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology and Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.,Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Agathangelidis A, Vlachonikola E, Davi F, Langerak AW, Chatzidimitriou A. High-Throughput immunogenetics for precision medicine in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 84:80-88. [PMID: 34757183 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is characterized by an extremely complex biological background, which hinders personalized therapeutic interventions. Precision medicine promises to overcome this obstacle through integrating information from different 'subsystems', including the host, the external environment, the tumor itself and the tumor micro-environment. Immunogenetics is an essential tool that allows dissecting both lymphoid cancer ontogeny at both a cell-intrinsic and a cell-extrinsic level, i.e. through characterizing micro-environmental interactions, with a view to precision medicine. This is particularly thanks to the introduction of powerful, high-throughput approaches i.e. next generation sequencing, which allow the comprehensive characterization of immune repertoires. Indeed, NGS immunogenetic analysis (Immune-seq) has emerged as key to both understanding cancer pathogenesis and improving the accuracy of clinical decision making in oncology. Immune-seq has applications in lymphoid malignancies, assisting in the diagnosis e.g. through differentiating from reactive conditions, as well as in disease monitoring through accurate assessment of minimal residual disease. Moreover, Immune-seq facilitates the study of T cell receptor clonal dynamics in critical clinical contexts, including transplantation as well as innovative immunotherapy for solid cancers. The clinical utility of Immune-seq represents the focus of the present contribution, where we highlight what can be achieved but also what must be addressed in order to maximally realize the promise of Immune-seq in precision medicine in cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Agathangelidis
- Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Applied Biosciences, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Elisavet Vlachonikola
- Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Applied Biosciences, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Frederic Davi
- Department of Hematology, APHP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière and Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Anton W Langerak
- Department of Immunology, Laboratory Medical Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anastasia Chatzidimitriou
- Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Applied Biosciences, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Current advances in immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations with radiation therapy or cryotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2021; 191:229-241. [PMID: 34714450 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-021-06408-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has demonstrated clinically significant efficacy when combined with chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Although many patients derived benefit, others do not respond to immunotherapy, therefore relying upon innovative combinations to enhance response. Local therapies such as radiation therapy (RT) and cryotherapy are immunogenic and potentially optimize responses to immunotherapy. Strategies combining these therapies and ICI are actively under investigation. This review will describe the rationale for combining ICI with targeted local therapies in breast cancer. METHODS A literature search was performed to identify pre-clinical and clinical studies assessing ICI combined with RT or cryotherapy published as of August 2021 using PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov. RESULTS Published studies of ICI with RT and IPI have demonstrated safety and signals of early efficacy. CONCLUSION RT and cryotherapy are local therapies that can be integrated safely with ICI and has shown promise in early trials. Randomized phase II studies testing both of these approaches, such as P-RAD (NCT04443348) and ipilimumab/nivolumab/cryoablation for TNBC (NCT03546686) are current enrolling. The results of these studies are paramount as they will provide long term data on the safety and efficacy of these regimens.
Collapse
|
41
|
Hirschhorn D, Betof Warner A, Maniyar R, Chow A, Mangarin LM, Cohen AD, Hamadene L, Rizzuto GA, Budhu S, Suek N, Liu C, Houghton AN, Merghoub T, Wolchok JD. Cyclophosphamide enhances the antitumor potency of GITR engagement by increasing oligoclonal cytotoxic T cell fitness. JCI Insight 2021; 6:151035. [PMID: 34676831 PMCID: PMC8564916 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.151035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Only a subset of cancer patients responds to checkpoint blockade inhibition in the clinic. Strategies to overcome resistance are promising areas of investigation. Targeting glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein (GITR) has shown efficacy in preclinical models, but GITR engagement is ineffective in controlling advanced, poorly immunogenic tumors, such as B16 melanoma, and has not yielded benefit in clinical trials. The alkylating agent cyclophosphamide (CTX) depletes regulatory T cells (Tregs), expands tumor-specific effector T cells (Teffs) via homeostatic proliferation, and induces immunogenic cell death. GITR agonism has an inhibitory effect on Tregs and activates Teffs. We therefore hypothesized that CTX and GITR agonism would promote effective antitumor immunity. Here we show that the combination of CTX and GITR agonism controlled tumor growth in clinically relevant mouse models. Mechanistically, we show that the combination therapy caused tumor cell death, clonal expansion of highly active CD8+ T cells, and depletion of Tregs by activation-induced cell death. Control of tumor growth was associated with the presence of an expanded population of highly activated, tumor-infiltrating, oligoclonal CD8+ T cells that led to a diminished TCR repertoire. Our studies show that the combination of CTX and GITR agonism is a rational chemoimmunotherapeutic approach that warrants further clinical investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hirschhorn
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Allison Betof Warner
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA.,Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rachana Maniyar
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrew Chow
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA.,Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Levi Mb Mangarin
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Adam D Cohen
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and
| | - Linda Hamadene
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Gabrielle A Rizzuto
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sadna Budhu
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Nathan Suek
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Cailian Liu
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Alan N Houghton
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Taha Merghoub
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA.,Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jedd D Wolchok
- Swim Across America and Ludwig Collaborative Laboratory, Immunology Program, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA.,Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Liu CY, Huang CC, Tsai YF, Chao TC, Lien PJ, Lin YS, Feng CJ, Chen JL, Chen YJ, Chiu JH, Hsu CY, Tseng LM. VGH-TAYLOR: Comprehensive precision medicine study protocol on the heterogeneity of Taiwanese breast cancer patients. Future Oncol 2021; 17:4057-4069. [PMID: 34665002 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-0131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneity in breast cancer leads to diverse morphological features and different clinical outcomes. There are inherent differences in breast cancer between the populations in Asia and in western countries. The use of immune-based treatment in breast cancer is currently in the developmental stage. The VGH-TAYLOR study is designed to understand the genetic profiling of different subtypes of breast cancer in Taiwan and define the molecular risk factors for breast cancer recurrence. The T-cell receptor repertoire and the potential effects of immunotherapy in breast cancer subjects is evaluated. The favorable biomarkers for early detection of tumor recurrence, diagnosis and prognosis may provide clues for the selection of individualized treatment regimens and improvement in breast cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Yu Liu
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Cheng Huang
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Fang Tsai
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Chung Chao
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ju Lien
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Shu Lin
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Jung Feng
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ji-Lin Chen
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Jen Chen
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Hwey Chiu
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yi Hsu
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Ming Tseng
- Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Li M, Zhang C, Deng S, Li L, Liu S, Bai J, Xu Y, Guan Y, Xia X, Sun L, Carbone DP, Hu C. Lung cancer-associated T cell repertoire as potential biomarker for early detection of stage I lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2021; 162:16-22. [PMID: 34649105 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early detection of lung cancer in asymptomatic patients remains challenging, especially for stage I. Considering the substantial interaction with tumor immunogenicity, we hypothesized that lung cancer-associated TCR (LC-aTCR) may serve as potential biomarker in early detection of stage I lung cancer. METHODS Individuals who received low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening were enrolled in the study. Surgical tissues and peripheral blood specimens were collected and performed with DNA-based T cell repertoire (TCR) sequencing. The motif-based algorithm was used to deconstruct specific lung cancer-associated TCRs (LC-aTCRs). RESULTS A total of 146 individuals participating in the real-world LDCT screening project were enrolled in this study, including 52 patients with pathologically-confirmed stage I lung cancer and 94 non-cancer controls. We developed a motif-based algorithm to define 80 LC-aTCRs in the training cohort. Moreover, in the validation cohort, high sensitivity and specificity was showed in stage I lung cancer with 72% and 91% respectively, and the AUC of the ROC curve was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.85 ∼ 0.96). CONCLUSION This work provides inspiration for stage I lung cancer detection by using blood TCR profiling data. The combination of TCR-based assay and routine screening deserves further testing in larger cohorts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China; Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, China; James Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, USA
| | | | - Shichao Deng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China
| | - Shiqing Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China; Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Bai
- Geneplus-Beijing Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yaping Xu
- Geneplus-Beijing Institute, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Lunquan Sun
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Changsha, China
| | - David P Carbone
- James Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, USA
| | - Chengping Hu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China; Xiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Center for Molecular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Changsha, China.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Fu C, Liu Y, Han X, Pan Y, Wang HQ, Wang H, Dai H, Yang W. An Immune-Associated Genomic Signature Effectively Predicts Pathologic Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Paclitaxel and Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:704655. [PMID: 34526986 PMCID: PMC8435784 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.704655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is now the leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Paclitaxel and anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy is widely used for the treatment of breast cancer, but its sensitivity remains difficult to predict for clinical use. In our study, a LASSO logistic regression method was applied to develop a genomic classifier for predicting pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. The predictive accuracy of the signature classifier was further evaluated using four other independent test sets. Also, functional enrichment analysis of genes in the signature was performed, and the correlations between the prediction score of the signature classifier and immune characteristics were explored. We found a 25-gene signature classifier through the modeling, which showed a strong ability to predict pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. For T/FAC-based training and test sets, and a T/AC-based test set, the AUC of the signature classifier is 1.0, 0.9071, 0.9683, 0.9151, and 0.7350, respectively, indicating that it has good predictive ability for both T/FAC and T/AC schemes. The multivariate model showed that 25-gene signature was far superior to other clinical parameters as independent predictor. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that genes in the signature are mainly enriched in immune-related biological processes. The prediction score of the classifier was significantly positively correlated with the immune score. There were also significant differences in immune cell types between pCR and residual disease (RD) samples. Conclusively, we developed a 25-gene signature classifier that can effectively predict pCR to paclitaxel and anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Our study also suggests that the immune ecosystem is actively involved in modulating clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and is beneficial to patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Changfang Fu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Science Island Branch, Graduate School of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Medical Pathology Center, Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Science Island Branch, Graduate School of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Medical Pathology Center, Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Xinghua Han
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yueyin Pan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Hong-Qiang Wang
- Biological Molecular Information System Laboratory, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Hongzhi Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Medical Pathology Center, Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Haiming Dai
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Medical Pathology Center, Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Wulin Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Medical Pathology Center, Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Liu H, Pan W, Tang C, Tang Y, Wu H, Yoshimura A, Deng Y, He N, Li S. The methods and advances of adaptive immune receptors repertoire sequencing. Theranostics 2021; 11:8945-8963. [PMID: 34522220 PMCID: PMC8419057 DOI: 10.7150/thno.61390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptive immune response is a powerful tool, capable of recognizing, binding to, and neutralizing a vast number of internal and external threats via T or B lymphatic receptors with widespread sets of antigen specificities. The emergence of high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics provides opportunities for research in the fields of life sciences and medicine. The analysis and annotation for immune repertoire data can reveal biologically meaningful information, including immune prediction, target antigens, and effective evaluation. Continuous improvements of the immunological repertoire sequencing methods and analysis tools will help to minimize the experimental and calculation errors and realize the immunological information to meet the clinical requirements. That said, the clinical application of adaptive immune repertoire sequencing requires appropriate experimental methods and standard analytical tools. At the population cell level, we can acquire the overview of cell groups, but the information about a single cell is not obtained accurately. The information that is ignored may be crucial for understanding the heterogeneity of each cell, gene expression and drug response. The combination of high-throughput sequencing and single-cell technology allows us to obtain single-cell information with low-cost and high-throughput. In this review, we summarized the current methods and progress in this area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Liu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, China
| | - Wenjing Pan
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, China
| | - Congli Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yujie Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hu-nan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Akihiko Yoshimura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yan Deng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, China
| | - Nongyue He
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Song Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou 412007, China
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Differential Response of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells to In Vitro Inhibition with CTLA-4 and PD-1 through Cancer-Immune Cells Modified Interactions. Cells 2021; 10:cells10082044. [PMID: 34440813 PMCID: PMC8392578 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Drugs targeting immune checkpoint molecules have been found effective in melanoma, lung cancer, and other malignancies treatment. Recent studies on breast cancer demonstrated the significance of inhibitory anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 in the regulation of disease progression. However, seemingly the same types of breast cancer do not always respond unambiguously to immunotherapy. Thus, here we set out to analyze the in vitro effects of inhibiting CTLA-4 and PD-1 on interactions between co-cultured lymphocytes and two selected breast adenocarcinoma cell lines. Breast cancer cells were co-cultured with lymphocytes to evaluate the effects of CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibition. Proliferation, cell cycle, and viability assessment were measured in cancer cells. IFN-gamma, IL-10, perforin, granzyme B production, and CTLA-4 and PD-1 expression were analyzed in lymphocytes. We found that administration of anti-CTLA-4 improved the anti-cancer activity of T cells with reduced proliferation and viability of MDA-MB-231. Lack of response was observed in the context of MCF-7. In addition, differential expression of checkpoint proteins was found between studied cancer cells lines. Inhibition of molecules was followed by IL-10 and IFN-gamma decrease in lymphocytes co-cultured with MDA-MB-231, not demonstrated in reference to MCF-7. Furthermore, CTLA-4 blockage was associated with reduction of CTLA-4+ and PD-1+ lymphocytes in MDA-MB-231, with a significant increase in MCF-7, reduced by anti-PD-1. Altogether, our study revealed that anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 treatment can improve lymphocytes effects on breast cancer cells. Favorable effects seemed to be related to breast cancer cells features as differential responses were reported. Novel blocking antibodies strategies should be tested for more effective cancer inhibition.
Collapse
|
47
|
Ju M, Bi J, Wei Q, Jiang L, Guan Q, Zhang M, Song X, Chen T, Fan J, Li X, Wei M, Zhao L. Pan-cancer analysis of NLRP3 inflammasome with potential implications in prognosis and immunotherapy in human cancer. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:bbaa345. [PMID: 33212483 PMCID: PMC8294515 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbaa345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NLRP3 inflammasome was introduced as a double-edged sword in tumorigenesis and influenced immunotherapy response by modulating host immunity. However, a systematic assessment of the NLRP3-inflammasome-related genes across human cancers is lacking, and the predictive role of NLRP3 inflammasome in cancer immunotherapy (CIT) response remains unexplored. Thus, in this study, we performed a pan-cancer analysis of NLRP3-inflammasome-related genes across 24 human cancers. Out of these 24 cancers, 15 cancers had significantly different expression of NLRP3-inflammasome-related genes between normal and tumor samples. Meanwhile, Cox regression analysis showed that the NLRP3 inflammasome score could be served as an independent prognostic factor in skin cutaneous melanoma. Further analysis indicated that NLRP3 inflammasome may influence tumor immunity mainly by mediating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and macrophages, and the effect of NLRP3 inflammasome on immunity is diverse across tumor types in tumor microenvironment. We also found that the NLRP3 inflammasome score could be a stronger predictor for immune signatures compared with tumor mutation burden (TMB) and glycolytic activity, which have been reported as immune predictors. Furthermore, analysis of the association between NLRP3 inflammasome and CIT response using six CIT response datasets revealed the predictive value of NLRP3 inflammasome for immunotherapy response of patients in diverse cancers. Our study illustrates the characterization of NLRP3 inflammasome in multiple cancer types and highlights its potential value as a predictive biomarker of CIT response, which can pave the way for further investigation of the prognostic and therapeutic potentials of NLRP3 inflammasome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingyi Ju
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | - Jia Bi
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | - Qian Wei
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | | | | | - Ming Zhang
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | | | - Ting Chen
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | - Jingyi Fan
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | | | - Minjie Wei
- China Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning, China
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Miron M, Meng W, Rosenfeld AM, Dvorkin S, Poon MML, Lam N, Kumar BV, Louzoun Y, Luning Prak ET, Farber DL. Maintenance of the human memory T cell repertoire by subset and tissue site. Genome Med 2021; 13:100. [PMID: 34127056 PMCID: PMC8204429 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-021-00918-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune-mediated protection is mediated by T cells expressing pathogen-specific T cell antigen receptors (TCR) that are maintained at diverse sites of infection as tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) or that disseminate as circulating effector-memory (TEM), central memory (TCM), or terminal effector (TEMRA) subsets in blood and tissues. The relationship between circulating and tissue resident T cell subsets in humans remains elusive, and is important for promoting site-specific protective immunity. METHODS We analyzed the TCR repertoire of the major memory CD4+ and CD8+T cell subsets (TEM, TCM, TEMRA, and TRM) isolated from blood and/or lymphoid organs (spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow) and lungs of nine organ donors, and blood of three living individuals spanning five decades of life. High-throughput sequencing of the variable (V) portion of individual TCR genes for each subset, tissue, and individual were analyzed for clonal diversity, expansion and overlap between lineage, T cell subsets, and anatomic sites. TCR repertoires were further analyzed for TRBV gene usage and CDR3 edit distance. RESULTS Across blood, lymphoid organs, and lungs, human memory, and effector CD8+T cells exhibit greater clonal expansion and distinct TRBV usage compared to CD4+T cell subsets. Extensive sharing of clones between tissues was observed for CD8+T cells; large clones specific to TEMRA cells were present in all sites, while TEM cells contained clones shared between sites and with TRM. For CD4+T cells, TEM clones exhibited the most sharing between sites, followed by TRM, while TCM clones were diverse with minimal sharing between sites and subsets. Within sites, TRM clones exhibited tissue-specific expansions, and maintained clonal diversity with age, compared to age-associated clonal expansions in circulating memory subsets. Edit distance analysis revealed tissue-specific biases in clonal similarity. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the human memory T cell repertoire comprises clones which persist across sites and subsets, along with clones that are more restricted to certain subsets and/or tissue sites. We also provide evidence that the tissue plays a key role in maintaining memory T cells over age, bolstering the rationale for site-specific targeting of memory reservoirs in vaccines and immunotherapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Miron
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wenzhao Meng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aaron M Rosenfeld
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shirit Dvorkin
- Department of Mathematics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Maya Meimei Li Poon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nora Lam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brahma V Kumar
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yoram Louzoun
- Department of Mathematics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Eline T Luning Prak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Donna L Farber
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Gadot M, Gal M, Dobosz P, Dotan Z, Ramon J, Berger R, Avni D, Fridman E, Leibowitz R. Associations between T cell infiltration, T cell receptor clonality, histology and recurrence in renal cell carcinoma. Clin Exp Immunol 2021; 205:160-168. [PMID: 33899933 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13608] [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: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is comprised of clear-cell (ccRCC) and non-clear-cell (nccRCC) tumors. Despite definitive surgical resection in localized disease, recurrence often occurs. A commercial method based on a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay exclusively targets rearranged T cell receptor (TCR) genes to generate high-throughput sequencing-based data, allowing characterization of the immune repertoire within tumors. In this study we performed a retrospective analysis on archived tumor samples from patients with recurring versus non-recurring T3 ccRCC and on samples from early nccRCC versus ccRCC. Following genomic DNA extraction and multiplex PCR, the fraction of T cells within tumors, the number of unique receptors ('richness') and their relative abundances ('clonality') were calculated. Statistical significance and correlations were calculated using Student's t-test and Spearman's rho, respectively. Average fraction and clonality of T cells in tumors from non-recurring patients was 2.5- and 4.3-fold higher than in recurring patients (P = 0.025 and P = 0.043, respectively). A significant positive correlation was found between T cell fraction and clonality (Spearman's rho = 0.78, P = 0.008). The average fraction of T cells in ccRCC tumors was 2.8-fold higher than in nccRCC tumors (P = 0.015). Clonality and estimated richness were similar between ccRCC and nccRCC tumors. In summary, recurrence of ccRCC is associated with a lower fraction and clonality of T cells within tumors; nccRCC tumors are more 'deserted' than ccRCC, but similar in their ability to generate a clonal T cell repertoire. Our work suggests associations between the characteristics of T cell infiltrate, histology and tumor recurrence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moran Gadot
- Oncology Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Mordechay Gal
- Faculty of Life Science, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Paula Dobosz
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Zohar Dotan
- Department of Urology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv university, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Jacob Ramon
- Department of Urology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv university, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Raanan Berger
- Oncology Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.,Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv university, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Dror Avni
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv university, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Eduard Fridman
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv university, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Pathology Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
| | - Raya Leibowitz
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv university, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Oncology Institute, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Ou X, Ma Q, Yin W, Ma X, He Z. CRISPR/Cas9 Gene-Editing in Cancer Immunotherapy: Promoting the Present Revolution in Cancer Therapy and Exploring More. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:674467. [PMID: 34095145 PMCID: PMC8172808 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.674467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, immunotherapy has showed fantastic promise in pioneering and accelerating the field of cancer therapy and embraces unprecedented breakthroughs in clinical practice. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) system, as a versatile gene-editing technology, lays a robust foundation to efficiently innovate cancer research and cancer therapy. Here, we summarize recent approaches based on CRISPR/Cas9 system for construction of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells and T cell receptor T (TCR-T) cells. Besides, we review the applications of CRISPR/Cas9 in inhibiting immune checkpoint signaling pathways and highlight the feasibility of CRISPR/Cas9 based engineering strategies to screen novel cancer immunotherapy targets. Conclusively, we discuss the perspectives, potential challenges and possible solutions in this vivid growing field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuejin Ou
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhi Ma
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Yin
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiyao He
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|