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Vernet-Tomas M, Vazquez I, Olivares F, Lopez D, Yelamos J, Comerma L. Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I Expression and Natural Killer Cell Infiltration and Its Correlation with Prognostic Features in Luminal Breast Cancers. BREAST CANCER (DOVE MEDICAL PRESS) 2024; 16:657-666. [PMID: 39387059 PMCID: PMC11463177 DOI: 10.2147/bctt.s476721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether low HLA-I expression and NK cells infiltration are related to prognostic features in breast cancer, as observed in cancers in other locations and non-hormone dependent breast cancers. Particularly, we explored their relation to infiltrated axillary lymph nodes (ALNs), with the aim of finding new predictors helping to decide the extent of axillary surgery. Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective correlational analysis of 35 breast cancers from 35 breast cancer patients showing axillary infiltration at diagnosis and with upfront surgery. HLA-I H-score and the number of NK cells x 50 high power fields (HPF) in the biopsy specimen were correlated with pathological variables of the surgical specimen: number of infiltrated ALNs, tumor size, histological type, the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ, focality, histological grade, necrosis, lymphovascular and perineural invasion, Her2Neu status, and the percentages of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, ki67, and p53. Results All tumors showed hormone receptor expression and three of them Her2Neu positivity. A positive correlation (p=0.001**) was found between HLA-I H-score and TILs and Ki67 expression. HLA H-score increased with histological grade and was higher in unifocal than in multifocal disease (p=0.044 and p=0.011, respectively). No other correlations were found. Conclusion High HLA-I H-score values correlated with features of poor prognosis in this cohort of luminal breast tumors, but not with infiltrated ALNs. This finding highlights the differences between luminal breast cancer, and cancers in other locations and non-hormone dependent breast cancers, in which low HLA-I expression tends to be associated with poor prognostic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vernet-Tomas
- Breast Diseases Unit, Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ivonne Vazquez
- Breast Diseases Unit, Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Pathology; Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - David Lopez
- Department of Pathology; Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Yelamos
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Pathology; Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Comerma
- Breast Diseases Unit, Hospital Del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Pathology; Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Ribeiro JM, Mendes J, Gante I, Figueiredo-Dias M, Almeida V, Gomes A, Regateiro FJ, Regateiro FS, Caramelo F, Silva HC. Two Different Immune Profiles Are Identified in Sentinel Lymph Nodes of Early-Stage Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2881. [PMID: 39199652 PMCID: PMC11352239 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16162881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In the management of early-stage breast cancer (BC), lymph nodes (LNs) are typically characterised using the One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) assay, a standard procedure for assessing subclinical metastasis in sentinel LNs (SLNs). The pivotal role of LNs in coordinating the immune response against BC is often overlooked. Our aim was to improve prognostic information provided by the OSNA assay and explore immune-related gene signatures in SLNs. The expression of an immune gene panel was analysed in SLNs from 32 patients with Luminal A early-stage BC (cT1-T2 N0). Using an unsupervised approach based on these expression values, this study identified two clusters, regardless of the SLN invasion: one evidencing an adaptive anti-tumoral immune response, characterised by an increase in naive B cells, follicular T helper cells, and activated NK cells; and another with a more undifferentiated response, with an increase in the activated-to-resting dendritic cells (DCs) ratio. Through a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, we identified seven immunoregulatory hub genes: CD80, CD40, TNF, FCGR3A, CD163, FCGR3B, and CCR2. This study shows that, in Luminal A early-stage BC, SLNs gene expression studies enable the identification of distinct immune profiles that may influence prognosis stratification and highlight key genes that could serve as potential targets for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Martins Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Sequencing and Functional Genomics of UCGenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Mendes
- Laboratory of Sequencing and Functional Genomics of UCGenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Inês Gante
- Gynecology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Center, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
- Gynecology University Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Margarida Figueiredo-Dias
- Gynecology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Center, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
- Gynecology University Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Vânia Almeida
- Department of Pathology, Coimbra Hospital and University Center, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Anatomical and Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Gomes
- Department of Pathology, Coimbra Hospital and University Center, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fernando Jesus Regateiro
- Laboratory of Sequencing and Functional Genomics of UCGenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Frederico Soares Regateiro
- Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Coimbra Hospital and University Center, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Caramelo
- Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics (LBIM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Henriqueta Coimbra Silva
- Laboratory of Sequencing and Functional Genomics of UCGenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Centre of Investigation on Environment, Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-504 Coimbra, Portugal
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3
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Graham LV, Khakoo SI, Blunt MD. NK Cells in the Lymph Nodes and Their Role in Anti-Tumour Immunity. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1667. [PMID: 39200132 PMCID: PMC11351147 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12081667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The lymph nodes are vital to enable adaptive immune responses to infection. Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that directly kill cancer cells and modulate the activation of other immune cells during anti-tumour immune response. NK cells in the lymph nodes are involved in the regulation of T-cell and B-cell populations and the clearance of viral infections. In solid tumours, lymph nodes are a frequent site of metastasis and immune cell priming, whilst in haematological malignancies, tumour cells can proliferate in the lymph nodes. Thus, lymph nodes are an important site in anti-tumour immunity and therapy resistance. It is therefore crucial to identify strategies to increase recruitment and overcome suppression of NK cells in the lymph node microenvironment to improve tumour clearance. In this review, we summarise the literature interrogating NK cell phenotype and function in the lymph nodes in the context of infection and cancer and evaluate both current and potential strategies to mobilise and activate NK cells within the lymph nodes of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew D. Blunt
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
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4
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Liu Y, He M, Tang H, Xie T, Lin Y, Liu S, Liang J, Li F, Luo K, Yang M, Teng H, Luo X, He J, Liao S, Huang Q, Feng W, Zhan X, Wei Q. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal metastasis mechanism and microenvironment remodeling of lymph node in osteosarcoma. BMC Med 2024; 22:200. [PMID: 38755647 PMCID: PMC11100118 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03319-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor and is highly prone to metastasis. OS can metastasize to the lymph node (LN) through the lymphatics, and the metastasis of tumor cells reestablishes the immune landscape of the LN, which is conducive to the growth of tumor cells. However, the mechanism of LN metastasis of osteosarcoma and remodeling of the metastatic lymph node (MLN) microenvironment is not clear. METHODS Single-cell RNA sequencing of 18 samples from paracancerous, primary tumor, and lymph nodes was performed. Then, new signaling axes closely related to metastasis were identified using bioinformatics, in vitro experiments, and immunohistochemistry. The mechanism of remodeling of the LN microenvironment in tumor cells was investigated by integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics. RESULTS From 18 single-cell sequencing samples, we obtained 117,964 cells. The pseudotime analysis revealed that osteoblast(OB) cells may follow a differentiation path from paracancerous tissue (PC) → primary tumor (PT) → MLN or from PC → PT, during the process of LN metastasis. Next, in combination of bioinformatics, in vitro and in vivo experiments, and immunohistochemistry, we determined that ETS2/IBSP, a new signal axis, might promote LN metastasis. Finally, single-cell and spatial dissection uncovered that OS cells could reshape the microenvironment of LN by interacting with various cell components, such as myeloid, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and NK/T cells. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our research revealed a new molecular mechanism of LN metastasis and clarified how OS cells influenced the LN microenvironment, which might provide new insight for blocking LN metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liu
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Mingwei He
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Haijun Tang
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Tianyu Xie
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Yunhua Lin
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Shangyu Liu
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Jiming Liang
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Feicui Li
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Kai Luo
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Mingxiu Yang
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Hongcai Teng
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Xiaoting Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Juliang He
- Department of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Shijie Liao
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China.
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Orthopedic Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Wenyu Feng
- Department of Bone and Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530007, China.
| | - Xinli Zhan
- Department of Spine and Osteopathic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China.
| | - Qingjun Wei
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedic and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, China.
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5
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Zhang X, Wang J, Wang M, Du M, Chen J, Wang L, Wu J. IFN-β Pretreatment Alleviates Allogeneic Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell-Induced NK Cell Responses via the IRF7/HLA-E/NKG2A Axis. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:715-722. [PMID: 38149913 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint molecules are promising targets for suppressing the immune response but have received little attention in immune tolerance induction in organ transplantation. In this study, we found that IFN-β could induce the expression of HLA-E as well as PD-L1 on human renal tubular epithelial cell line HK-2 and renal tissue of the C57BL/6 mouse. The JAK/STAT2 pathway was necessary for this process. Upregulation of both HLA-E and PD-L1 was fully abrogated by the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. Signaling pathway molecules, including STAT1, STAT2, mTOR, Tyk2, and p38 MAPK, were involved in HLA-E and PD-L1 upregulation. IRF7 is the key transcription factor responsible for the activation of HLA-E and PD-L1 promoters. Through screening an epigenetic regulation library, we found a natural compound, bisdemethoxycurcumin, enhanced IFN-β-induced HLA-E and PD-L1 expression in vitro and in vivo. In PBMC-derived CD56+ NK cells, we found that NKG2A but not PD1 was constitutively expressed, indicating HLA-E/NKG2A as a more potent target to induce tolerance to innate immune cells. Pretreating HK-2 cells by IFN-β significantly attenuated the degranulation of their coincubated NK cells and protected cells from NK-mediated lysis. In conclusion, IFN-β pretreatment could activate HLA-E and PD-L1 transcription through the JAK/STAT/IRF7 pathway and then could protect renal tubular epithelial cells from allogeneic immune attack mediated by NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Zhang
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junni Wang
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mowang Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengbao Du
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianghua Chen
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Limengmeng Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianyong Wu
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Hangzhou, China
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6
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Quail DF, Park M, Welm AL, Ekiz HA. Breast Cancer Immunity: It is TIME for the Next Chapter. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041324. [PMID: 37188526 PMCID: PMC10835621 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to interrogate the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) at an ever-increasing granularity has uncovered critical determinants of disease progression. Not only do we now have a better understanding of the immune response in breast cancer, but it is becoming possible to leverage key mechanisms to effectively combat this disease. Almost every component of the immune system plays a role in enabling or inhibiting breast tumor growth. Building on early seminal work showing the involvement of T cells and macrophages in controlling breast cancer progression and metastasis, single-cell genomics and spatial proteomics approaches have recently expanded our view of the TIME. In this article, we provide a detailed description of the immune response against breast cancer and examine its heterogeneity in disease subtypes. We discuss preclinical models that enable dissecting the mechanisms responsible for tumor clearance or immune evasion and draw parallels and distinctions between human disease and murine counterparts. Last, as the cancer immunology field is moving toward the analysis of the TIME at the cellular and spatial levels, we highlight key studies that revealed previously unappreciated complexity in breast cancer using these technologies. Taken together, this article summarizes what is known in breast cancer immunology through the lens of translational research and identifies future directions to improve clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela F Quail
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Morag Park
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A3, Canada
- Departments of Biochemistry, Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Alana L Welm
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - H Atakan Ekiz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Gulbahce, 35430 Urla, Izmir, Turkey
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7
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Elanany MM, Mostafa D, Hamdy NM. Remodeled tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) parade via natural killer cells reprogramming in breast cancer. Life Sci 2023; 330:121997. [PMID: 37536617 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the main cause of cancer-related mortality among women globally. Despite substantial advances in the identification and management of primary tumors, traditional therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation cannot completely eliminate the danger of relapse and metastatic illness. Metastasis is controlled by microenvironmental and systemic mechanisms, including immunosurveillance. This led to the evolvement of immunotherapies that has gained much attention in the recent years for cancer treatment directed to the innate immune system. The long forgotten innate immune cells known as natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as novel targets for more effective therapeutics for BC. Normally, NK cells has the capacity to identify and eradicate tumor cells either directly or by releasing cytotoxic granules, chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines. Yet, NK cells are exposed to inhibitory signals by cancer cells, which causes them to become dysfunctional in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in BC, supporting tumor escape and spread. Potential mechanisms of NK cell dysfunction in BC metastasis have been recently identified. Understanding these immunologic pathways driving BC metastasis will lead to improvements in the current immunotherapeutic strategies. In the current review, we highlight how BC evades immunosurveillance by rendering NK cells dysfunctional and we shed the light on novel NK cell- directed therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona M Elanany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abassia, 11566 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dina Mostafa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abassia, 11566 Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Nadia M Hamdy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abassia, 11566 Cairo, Egypt.
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8
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Kern R, da Silva JC, Negretti F, Ferreira MO, Coletto MIO, de Oliveira ST, Alves FM, Scandolara TB, Rech D, Panis C. The Expression of CTLA-4 in Breast Tumors and Tumor-Infiltrating Leukocytes Affects Patients' Systemic Inflammatory Status and Varies According to Their Molecular Subtypes. Inflammation 2023; 46:1639-1652. [PMID: 37237069 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-023-01830-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence has pointed out that the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) expression is a poor prognosis factor. However, the implications of CTLA-4 expression on circulating inflammatory mediators are unclear for breast cancer. Tumor biopsies and blood samples were collected from 117 breast cancer patients. Oxidative stress parameters were evaluated in plasma samples by measuring the lipoperoxidation profile and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx). Interleukins 12 (IL-12) and 4 (IL-4) were assessed by ELISA. CTLA-4 expression was determined by immunofluorescence assessed by its labeling in tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TILs) or breast tumors. Correlations between CTLA-4 expression in breast tumors with TCD4/TCD8 infiltrating lymphocyte and inflammation-related genes were performed using data from TIMER 2.0/TCGA databases (n = 2160). CTLA-4 expression in TILs significantly correlated to triple-negative breast tumors. Patients carrying CTLA-4-positive tumors exhibited lower plasmatic NOx levels, and those expressing CTLA-4 in TILs had reduced levels of IL-12 in plasma. No changes in either IL-4 or lipid peroxidation profiles were detected concerning any CTLA4 status. Compared to the Luminal A ones, oxidative stress parameters and cytokines were observed in patients bearing triple-negative tumors. CTLA-4 expression in all breast cancer subtypes positively correlated to TCD4/TCD8 lymphocyte infiltrates, as well as to the pro-inflammatory genes IL12A, IL4, NFKB1, NFKB2, NOS1, NOS2, and NOS3. CTLA-4 expression in both tumor and TILs can affect the systemic inflammatory status of breast cancer patients, especially antitumor molecules such as IL-12 and NOx that correlate to more aggressive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Kern
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Aplicadas À Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
| | - Janaina Carla da Silva
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Aplicadas À Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Fábio Negretti
- Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Campus Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Mariane Okamoto Ferreira
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Aplicadas À Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Stefania Tagliari de Oliveira
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Programa de Residência Em Clínica Médica, Rede de Assistência À Saúde Metropolitana, Sarandi, PR, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Mara Alves
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
| | - Thalita Basso Scandolara
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Aplicadas À Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Molecular Carcinogenesis Program, Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Research Coordination (CPQ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniel Rech
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Aplicadas À Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
- Hospital de Câncer de Francisco Beltrão, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil
| | - Carolina Panis
- Laboratório Biologia de Tumores, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Aplicadas À Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil.
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9
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Gutierrez-Silerio GY, Bueno-Topete MR, Vega-Magaña AN, Bastidas-Ramirez BE, Gutierrez-Franco J, Escarra-Senmarti M, Pedraza-Brindis EJ, Peña-Rodriguez M, Ramos-Marquez ME, Delgado-Rizo V, Banu N, Alejandre-Gonzalez AG, Fafutis-Morris M, Haramati J, Del Toro-Arreola S. Non-fitness status of peripheral NK cells defined by decreased NKp30 and perforin, and increased soluble B7H6, in cervical cancer patients. Immunology 2023; 168:538-553. [PMID: 36271832 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13593] [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: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The NKp30 receptor is one of the three natural cytotoxic receptors reported in NK cells. This receptor is codified by the NCR3 gene, which encodes three isoforms, a consequence of the alternative splicing of exon 4. A greater expression of the three isoforms (A, B, and C), along with low levels of the NKp30 ligand B7H6, has been reported as a positive prognostic factor in different cancer types. Here, in patients with cervical cancer and precursor lesions, we report an altered immune-phenotype, characterized by non-fitness markers, that correlated with increased disease stage, from CIN 1 to FIGO IV. While overall NK cell numbers increased, loss of NKp30+ NK cells, especially in the CD56dim subpopulation, was found. Perforin levels were decreased in these cells. Decreased expression of the NKp30 C isoform and overexpression of soluble B7H6 was found in cervical cancer patients when compared against healthy subjects. PBMCs from healthy subjects downregulated NKp30 isoforms after co-culture with B7H6-expressing tumour cells. Taken together, these findings describe a unique down-modulation or non-fitness status of the immune response in cervical cancer, the understanding of which will be important for the design of novel immunotherapies against this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Yareli Gutierrez-Silerio
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico.,Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Departamento de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Miriam Ruth Bueno-Topete
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Natali Vega-Magaña
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico.,Laboratorio de Diagnóstico de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Departamento de Microbiología y Patología, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Blanca Estela Bastidas-Ramirez
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Jorge Gutierrez-Franco
- Unidad Académica de Ciencias Químico Biológicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Tepic, Mexico
| | | | - Eliza Julia Pedraza-Brindis
- Departamento Academia de Aparatos y Sistemas I, Unidad Académica de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Marcela Peña-Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Diagnóstico de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Departamento de Microbiología y Patología, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Martha Eloisa Ramos-Marquez
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Vidal Delgado-Rizo
- Centro de Investigación en Inmunología y Dermatología, Departamento de Fisiología, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Nehla Banu
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy and Immunology and Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Alan Guillermo Alejandre-Gonzalez
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Mary Fafutis-Morris
- Centro de Investigación en Inmunología y Dermatología, Departamento de Fisiología, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Jesse Haramati
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Susana Del Toro-Arreola
- Instituto de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónico Degenerativas, Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico.,Laboratorio de Inmunología, Departamento de Fisiología, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
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10
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Li F, Liu S. Focusing on NK cells and ADCC: A promising immunotherapy approach in targeted therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1083462. [PMID: 36601109 PMCID: PMC9806173 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1083462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer has a high metastatic potential. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target HER2, such as trastuzumab and pertuzumab, are the cornerstone of adjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer. A growing body of preclinical and clinical evidence points to the importance of innate immunity mediated by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in the clinical effect of mAbs on the resulting anti-tumor response. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of natural killer (NK) cells and ADCC in targeted therapy of HER2-positive breast cancer, including the biological functions of NK cells and the role of NK cells and ADCC in anti-HER2 targeted drugs. We then discuss regulatory mechanisms and recent strategies to leverage our knowledge of NK cells and ADCC as an immunotherapy approach for HER2-positive breast cancer.
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11
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Bahmanyar M, Vakil MK, Al-Awsi GRL, Kouhpayeh SA, Mansoori Y, Mansoori B, Moravej A, Mazarzaei A, Ghasemian A. Anticancer traits of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)-Natural Killer (NK) cells as novel approaches for melanoma treatment. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1220. [PMID: 36434591 PMCID: PMC9701052 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10320-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Owing to non-responsiveness of a high number of patients to the common melanoma therapies, seeking novel approaches seem as an unmet requirement. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells were initially employed against recurrent or refractory B cell malignancies. However, advanced stages or pretreated patients have insufficient T cells (lymphopenia) amount for collection and clinical application. Additionally, this process is time-consuming and logistically cumbersome. Another limitation of this approach is toxicity and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) progress and neurotoxicity syndrome (NS). Natural killer (NK) cells are a versatile component of the innate immunity and have several advantages over T cells in the application for therapies such as availability, unique biological features, safety profile, cost effectiveness and higher tissue residence. Additionally, CAR NK cells do not develop Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and are independent of host HLA genotype. Notably, the NK cells number and activity is affected in the tumor microenvironment (TME), paving the way for developing novel approaches by enhancing their maturation and functionality. The CAR NK cells short lifespan is a double edge sword declining toxicity and reducing their persistence. Bispecific and Trispecific Killer Cell Engagers (BiKE and Trike, respectively) are emerging and promising immunotherapies for efficient antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC). CAR NK cells have some limitations in terms of expanding and transducing NK cells from donors to achieve clinical response. Clinical trials are in scarcity regarding the CAR NK cell-based cancer therapies. The CAR NK cells short life span following irradiation before infusion limits their efficiency inhibiting their in vivo expansion. The CAR NK cells efficacy enhancement in terms of lifespan TME preparation and stability is a goal for melanoma treatment. Combination therapies using CAR NK cells and chemotherapy can also overcome therapy limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Bahmanyar
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Mohammad Kazem Vakil
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | | | - Seyed Amin Kouhpayeh
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Yaser Mansoori
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Behnam Mansoori
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Ali Moravej
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Abdulbaset Mazarzaei
- grid.512728.b0000 0004 5907 6819Department of Immunology, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr, Iran
| | - Abdolmajid Ghasemian
- grid.411135.30000 0004 0415 3047Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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12
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Wall I, Boulat V, Shah A, Blenman KRM, Wu Y, Alberts E, Calado DP, Salgado R, Grigoriadis A. Leveraging the Dynamic Immune Environment Triad in Patients with Breast Cancer: Tumour, Lymph Node, and Peripheral Blood. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4505. [PMID: 36139665 PMCID: PMC9496983 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
During the anti-tumour response to breast cancer, the primary tumour, the peripheral blood, and the lymph nodes each play unique roles. Immunological features at each site reveal evidence of continuous immune cross-talk between them before, during and after treatment. As such, immune responses to breast cancer are found to be highly dynamic and truly systemic, integrating three distinct immune sites, complex cell-migration highways, as well as the temporal dimension of disease progression and treatment. In this review, we provide a connective summary of the dynamic immune environment triad of breast cancer. It is critical that future studies seek to establish dynamic immune profiles, constituting multiple sites, that capture the systemic immune response to breast cancer and define patient-selection parameters resulting in more significant overall responses and survival rates for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isobelle Wall
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Victoire Boulat
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Immunity and Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Aekta Shah
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400012, India
| | - Kim R. M. Blenman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Yin Wu
- Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Elena Alberts
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Immunity and Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Dinis Pedro Calado
- Immunity and Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Roberto Salgado
- Department of Pathology, GZA-ZNA Hospitals, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Anita Grigoriadis
- Cancer Bioinformatics, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Breast Cancer Now Research Unit, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
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13
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Lou C, Wu K, Shi J, Dai Z, Xu Q. N-cadherin protects oral cancer cells from NK cell killing in the circulation by inducing NK cell functional exhaustion via the KLRG1 receptor. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005061. [PMID: 36096526 PMCID: PMC9472211 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can survive in the circulation and return to primary tumors through a self-seeding process. However, the mechanisms underlying CTCs escape from natural killer (NK) cell-mediated immune surveillance remain unclear. METHOD Self-seeded tumor cells were isolated and characterized using a modified contralateral seeding model. A comparison of transcriptional profiles was performed between the parental cells and self-seeded cells. The molecular mechanism of self-seeded tumor cells escaping from NK cell was demonstrated through in vitro experiments and verified in a CTC-mimicking in vivo model. Then, the expression level of key protein mediating CTCs immune escape was detected in 24 paired primary and recurrent tumor samples of patients with oral cancer by the immunohistochemical method. RESULT Self-seeded cells displayed resistance to NK cell-mediated lysis and a higher tumor seeding ability than their parental cells. Elevated expression levels of the CDH2 gene and its protein product, N-cadherin were found in self-seeded cells. NK cells secreted cytokines, and fluid shear stress facilitated N-cadherin release by promoting A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) translation or converting the precursor ADAM10 to the mature form. Soluble N-cadherin triggered NK cell functional exhaustion by interacting with the killer cell lectin-like receptor subfamily G member 1 (KLRG1) receptor and therefore protected tumor cells from NK cell killing in the circulation. In vivo experimental results showed that overexpression of N-cadherin promoted tumor self-seeding and facilitated the survival of CTCs. Compared with primary tumors, N-cadherin expression was significantly increased in matched recurrent tumor tissues. CONCLUSION Together, our findings illustrate an unknown mechanism by which CTCs evaded NK cell-mediated immune surveillance, and indicate that targeting N-cadherin is an effective strategy to prevent CTCs from homing to primary tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Lou
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Kailiu Wu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenlin Dai
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
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14
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Razeghian E, Kameh MC, Shafiee S, Khalafi F, Jafari F, Asghari M, Kazemi K, Ilkhani S, Shariatzadeh S, Haj-Mirzaian A. The role of the natural killer (NK) cell modulation in breast cancer incidence and progress. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:10935-10948. [PMID: 36008609 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07865-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The importance of the immune system on tumor surveillance has been investigated for many years, and its impact on controlling tumor progression has been verified. An important subgroup of the innate immune system is natural killer (NK) cells, whose essential function in modulating tumor behavior and suppressing metastasis and tumor growth has been demonstrated. The first idea of NK cells' crucial biological processes was demonstrated through their potent ability to conduct direct cellular cytotoxicity, even without former sensitization. These properties of NK cells allow them to recognize transformed cells that have attenuated self-ligand and express stress-induced ligands. Furthermore, secretion of various cytokines and chemokines after their activation leads to tumor elimination via either direct cytotoxic effect on malignant cells or activation of the adaptive immune system. In addition, novel immunotherapeutic approaches tend to take advantage of NK cells' ability, leading to antibody-based approaches, the formation of engineered CAR-NK cells, and adoptive cell transfer. However, the restricted functionality of NK cells and the inability to infiltrate tumors are its blind spots in breast cancer patients. In this review, we gathered newly acquired data on the biology and functions of NK cells in breast cancer and proposed ways to employ this knowledge for novel therapeutic approaches in cancers, particularly breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Razeghian
- Human Genetics Division, Medical Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Genetics Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdis Chahar Kameh
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepehr Shafiee
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farima Khalafi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fehimeh Jafari
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Radiation Oncology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadali Asghari
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kiarash Kazemi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saba Ilkhani
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Siavash Shariatzadeh
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Arvin Haj-Mirzaian
- Department of Pharmacology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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15
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Rethacker L, Boy M, Bisio V, Roussin F, Denizeau J, Vincent-Salomon A, Borcoman E, Sedlik C, Piaggio E, Toubert A, Dulphy N, Caignard A. Innate lymphoid cells: NK and cytotoxic ILC3 subsets infiltrate metastatic breast cancer lymph nodes. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2057396. [PMID: 35371620 PMCID: PMC8973349 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2057396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) – which include cytotoxic Natural Killer (NK) cells and helper-type ILC – are important regulators of tissue immune homeostasis, with possible roles in tumor surveillance. We analyzed ILC and their functionality in human lymph nodes (LN). In LN, NK cells and ILC3 were the prominent subpopulations. Among the ILC3s, we identified a CD56+/ILC3 subset with a phenotype close to ILC3 but also expressing cytotoxicity genes shared with NK. In tumor-draining LNs (TD-LNs) and tumor samples from breast cancer (BC) patients, NK cells were prominent, and proportions of ILC3 subsets were low. In tumors and TD-LN, NK cells display reduced levels of NCR (Natural cytotoxicity receptors), despite high transcript levels and included a small subset CD127− CD56− NK cells with reduced function. Activated by cytokines CD56+/ILC3 cells from donor and patients LN acquired cytotoxic capacity and produced IFNg. In TD-LN, all cytokine activated ILC populations produced TNFα in response to BC cell line. Analyses of cytotoxic and helper ILC indicate a switch toward NK cells in TD-LN. The local tumor microenvironment inhibited NK cell functions through downregulation of NCR, but cytokine stimulation restored their functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Rethacker
- INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Boy
- INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - Valeria Bisio
- INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - France Roussin
- Service d’Anesthésie-Réanimation, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Jordan Denizeau
- INSERM U932, Département de Recherche Translationelle, Institut Curie, Université de Recherche Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Anne Vincent-Salomon
- Diagnostic and Theranostic Medicine Division, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Edith Borcoman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie, Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Christine Sedlik
- INSERM U932, Département de Recherche Translationelle, Institut Curie, Université de Recherche Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Eliane Piaggio
- INSERM U932, Département de Recherche Translationelle, Institut Curie, Université de Recherche Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Antoine Toubert
- INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Université de Paris, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP–HP), Hôpital Saint-Louis, Laboratoire d’Immunologie et Histocompatibilité, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Dulphy
- INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot, Université de Paris, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP–HP), Hôpital Saint-Louis, Laboratoire d’Immunologie et Histocompatibilité, Paris, France
| | - Anne Caignard
- INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
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16
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Li T, Liu T, Zhao Z, Xu X, Zhan S, Zhou S, Jiang N, Zhu W, Sun R, Wei F, Feng B, Guo H, Yang R. The Lymph Node Microenvironment May Invigorate Cancer Cells With Enhanced Metastatic Capacities. Front Oncol 2022; 12:816506. [PMID: 35295999 PMCID: PMC8918682 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.816506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis, a typical malignant biological behavior involving the distant migration of tumor cells from the primary site to other organs, contributed majorly to cancer-related deaths of patients. Although constant efforts have been paid by researchers to elucidate the mechanisms of cancer metastasis, we are still far away from the definite answer. Recently, emerging evidence demonstrated that cancer metastasis is a continuous coevolutionary process mediated by the interactions between tumor cells and the host organ microenvironment, and epigenetic reprogramming of metastatic cancer cells may confer them with stronger metastatic capacities. The lymph node served as the first metastatic niche for many types of cancer, and the appearance of lymph node metastasis predicted poor prognosis. Importantly, multiple immune cells and stromal cells station and linger in the lymph nodes, which constitutes the complexity of the lymph node microenvironment. The active cross talk between cancer cells and immune cells could happen unceasingly within the metastatic environment of lymph nodes. Of note, diverse immune cells have been found to participate in the formation of malignant properties of tumor, including stemness and immune escape. Based on these available evidence and data, we hypothesize that the metastatic microenvironment of lymph nodes could drive cancer cells to metastasize to further organs through epigenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhang Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tianyao Liu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zihan Zhao
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyan Xu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shoubin Zhan
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shengkai Zhou
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjie Zhu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Sun
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fayun Wei
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baofu Feng
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongqian Guo
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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17
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Fransen MF, van Hall T, Ossendorp F. Immune Checkpoint Therapy: Tumor Draining Lymph Nodes in the Spotlights. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9401. [PMID: 34502307 PMCID: PMC8431673 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor-draining lymph nodes play a paradoxical role in cancer. Surgeons often resect these sentinel lymph nodes to determine metastatic spread, thereby enabling prognosis and treatment. However, lymph nodes are vital organs for the orchestration of immune responses, due to the close encounters of dedicated immune cells. In view of the success of immunotherapy, the removal of tumor-draining lymph nodes needs to be re-evaluated and viewed in a different light. Recently, an important role for tumor-draining lymph nodes has been proposed in the immunotherapy of cancer. This new insight can change the use of immune checkpoint therapy, particularly with respect to the use in neoadjuvant settings in which lymph nodes are still operational.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke F. Fransen
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thorbald van Hall
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Ferry Ossendorp
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
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18
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Shklovskaya E, Rizos H. MHC Class I Deficiency in Solid Tumors and Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome It. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136741. [PMID: 34201655 PMCID: PMC8268865 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well accepted that the immune system can control cancer growth. However, tumors escape immune-mediated control through multiple mechanisms and the downregulation or loss of major histocompatibility class (MHC)-I molecules is a common immune escape mechanism in many cancers. MHC-I molecules present antigenic peptides to cytotoxic T cells, and MHC-I loss can render tumor cells invisible to the immune system. In this review, we examine the dysregulation of MHC-I expression in cancer, explore the nature of MHC-I-bound antigenic peptides recognized by immune cells, and discuss therapeutic strategies that can be used to overcome MHC-I deficiency in solid tumors, with a focus on the role of natural killer (NK) cells and CD4 T cells.
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19
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Jana S, Muscarella RA, Jones D. The Multifaceted Effects of Breast Cancer on Tumor-Draining Lymph Nodes. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2021; 191:1353-1363. [PMID: 34043978 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2021.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) accounts for significant morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. About one in three patients with breast cancer present with lymph node (LN) metastasis and LN status is one of the most important prognostic predictors in patients with BC. In addition to their prognostic value, LNs initiate adaptive immunity against BC. Yet, BC cells often avoid immune-mediated destruction in LNs. This review provides an overview of the ways by which BC cells modulate LN stromal and hematopoietic cells to promote metastasis and immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Jana
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ronald A Muscarella
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dennis Jones
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
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20
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Goldberg J, Pastorello RG, Vallius T, Davis J, Cui YX, Agudo J, Waks AG, Keenan T, McAllister SS, Tolaney SM, Mittendorf EA, Guerriero JL. The Immunology of Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:674192. [PMID: 34135901 PMCID: PMC8202289 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.674192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized the treatment of cancer patients. The main focus of ICB has been on reinvigorating the adaptive immune response, namely, activating cytotoxic T cells. ICB has demonstrated only modest benefit against advanced breast cancer, as breast tumors typically establish an immune suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with infiltration of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and patients with TNBC have shown clinical responses to ICB. In contrast, hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer is characterized by low TIL infiltration and minimal response to ICB. Here we review how HR+ breast tumors establish a TME devoid of TILs, have low HLA class I expression, and recruit immune cells, other than T cells, which impact response to therapy. In addition, we review emerging technologies that have been employed to characterize components of the TME to reveal that tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are abundant in HR+ cancer, are highly immune-suppressive, associated with tumor progression, chemotherapy and ICB-resistance, metastasis and poor survival. We reveal novel therapeutic targets and possible combinations with ICB to enhance anti-tumor immune responses, which may have great potential in HR+ breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Goldberg
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ricardo G. Pastorello
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tuulia Vallius
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Janae Davis
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yvonne Xiaoyong Cui
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Judith Agudo
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Adrienne G. Waks
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tanya Keenan
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sandra S. McAllister
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sara M. Tolaney
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A. Mittendorf
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer L. Guerriero
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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21
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Lan HR, Du WL, Liu Y, Mao CS, Jin KT, Yang X. Role of immune regulatory cells in breast cancer: Foe or friend? Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 96:107627. [PMID: 33862552 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women between the ages of 20 and 50, affecting more than 2.1 million people and causing the annual death of more than 627,000 women worldwide. Based on the available knowledge, the immune system and its components are involved in the pathogenesis of several malignancies, including BC. Cancer immunobiology suggests that immune cells can play a dual role and induce anti-tumor or immunosuppressive responses, depending on the tumor microenvironment (TME) signals. The most important effector immune cells with anti-tumor properties are natural killer (NK) cells, B, and T lymphocytes. On the other hand, immune and non-immune cells with regulatory/inhibitory phenotype, including regulatory T cells (Tregs), regulatory B cells (Bregs), tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and regulatory natural killer cells (NKregs), can promote the growth and development of tumor cells by inhibiting anti-tumor responses, inducing angiogenesis and metastasis, as well as the expression of inhibitory molecules and suppressor mediators of the immune system. However, due to the complexity of the interaction and the modification in the immune cells' phenotype and the networking of the immune responses, the exact mechanism of action of the immunosuppressive and regulatory cells is not yet fully understood. This review article reviews the immune responses involved in BC as well as the role of regulatory and inhibitory cells in the pathogenesis of the disease. Finally, therapeutic approaches based on inhibition of immunosuppressive responses derived from regulatory cells are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Rong Lan
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, PR China
| | - Wen-Lin Du
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, PR China; Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Yuyao Liu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, PR China
| | - Chun-Sen Mao
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, PR China
| | - Ke-Tao Jin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, PR China
| | - Xue Yang
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
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22
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Progression of Metastasis through Lymphatic System. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030627. [PMID: 33808959 PMCID: PMC7999434 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymph nodes are the most common sites of metastasis in cancer patients. Nodal disease status provides great prognostic power, but how lymph node metastases should be treated is under debate. Thus, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which lymph node metastases progress and how they can be targeted to provide therapeutic benefits. In this review, we focus on delineating the process of cancer cell migration to and through lymphatic vessels, survival in draining lymph nodes and further spread to other distant organs. In addition, emerging molecular targets and potential strategies to inhibit lymph node metastasis are discussed.
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23
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Cao Y, Wang X, Jin T, Tian Y, Dai C, Widarma C, Song R, Xu F. Immune checkpoint molecules in natural killer cells as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:250. [PMID: 33122640 PMCID: PMC7596531 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of natural killer (NK) cells in immunotherapy to treat multiple types of cancer. NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that play essential roles in tumor surveillance and control that efficiently kill the tumor and do not require the major histocompatibility complex. The discovery of the NK's potential as a promising therapeutic target for cancer is a relief to oncologists as they face the challenge of increased chemo-resistant cancers. NK cells show great potential against solid and hematologic tumors and have progressively shown promise as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. The effector role of these cells is reliant on the balance of inhibitory and activating signals. Understanding the role of various immune checkpoint molecules in the exhaustion and impairment of NK cells when their inhibitory receptors are excessively expressed is particularly important in cancer immunotherapy studies and clinical implementation. Emerging immune checkpoint receptors and molecules have been found to mediate NK cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment; this has brought up the need to explore further additional NK cell-related immune checkpoints that may be exploited to enhance the immune response to refractory cancers. Accordingly, this review will focus on the recent findings concerning the roles of immune checkpoint molecules and receptors in the regulation of NK cell function, as well as their potential application in tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- College of Life and Health Science, Northeastern University, 110819, Shenyang, China
| | - Tianqiang Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Chaoliu Dai
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Crystal Widarma
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA
| | - Rui Song
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA.
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China.
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24
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Zhang W, Shen Y, Huang H, Pan S, Jiang J, Chen W, Zhang T, Zhang C, Ni C. A Rosetta Stone for Breast Cancer: Prognostic Value and Dynamic Regulation of Neutrophil in Tumor Microenvironment. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1779. [PMID: 32849640 PMCID: PMC7426521 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence has revealed that the initiation and progression of breast cancer are greatly affected by the immune environment. Neutrophils are the most abundant leucocytes in circulation and act as the spearhead in inflammation, including in breast cancer. Circulating neutrophils are closely related to the prognosis of breast cancer patients, and tumor-infiltrating neutrophils have varied functions at different stages of breast cancer, such as antitumor or tumor-promoting neutrophils, which are termed N1 and N2 neutrophils, respectively. In this review, we will discuss the utility of circulating neutrophils for predicting prognosis and therapeutic efficacy and the underlying mechanisms of their chemotaxis, the dynamic regulation of their antitumor or protumor functions and their different spatial distributions in tumor microenvironment. Finally, we also discuss the possibility of targeting neutrophils as a therapeutic strategy in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yimin Shen
- Department of Cardiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tumour Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huanhuan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tumour Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sheng Pan
- School of Medicine, Chu Kochen Honors College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingxin Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tumour Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wuzhen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tumour Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tumour Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Ni
- Key Laboratory of Tumour Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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25
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Hashemi E, Malarkannan S. Tissue-Resident NK Cells: Development, Maturation, and Clinical Relevance. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061553. [PMID: 32545516 PMCID: PMC7352973 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells belong to type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1) and are essential in killing infected or transformed cells. NK cells mediate their effector functions using non-clonotypic germ-line-encoded activation receptors. The utilization of non-polymorphic and conserved activating receptors promoted the conceptual dogma that NK cells are homogeneous with limited but focused immune functions. However, emerging studies reveal that NK cells are highly heterogeneous with divergent immune functions. A distinct combination of several activation and inhibitory receptors form a diverse array of NK cell subsets in both humans and mice. Importantly, one of the central factors that determine NK cell heterogeneity and their divergent functions is their tissue residency. Decades of studies provided strong support that NK cells develop in the bone marrow. However, evolving evidence supports the notion that NK cells also develop and differentiate in tissues. Here, we summarize the molecular basis, phenotypic signatures, and functions of tissue-resident NK cells and compare them with conventional NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaheh Hashemi
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Immunotherapy, Blood Research Institute, Versiti, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA;
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Subramaniam Malarkannan
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Immunotherapy, Blood Research Institute, Versiti, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA;
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Correspondence:
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26
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Ben-Shmuel A, Biber G, Barda-Saad M. Unleashing Natural Killer Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment-The Next Generation of Immunotherapy? Front Immunol 2020; 11:275. [PMID: 32153582 PMCID: PMC7046808 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of immunotherapy for cancer treatment bears considerable clinical promise. Nevertheless, many patients remain unresponsive, acquire resistance, or suffer dose-limiting toxicities. Immune-editing of tumors assists their escape from the immune system, and the tumor microenvironment (TME) induces immune suppression through multiple mechanisms. Immunotherapy aims to bolster the activity of immune cells against cancer by targeting these suppressive immunomodulatory processes. Natural Killer (NK) cells are a heterogeneous subset of immune cells, which express a diverse array of activating and inhibitory germline-encoded receptors, and are thus capable of directly targeting and killing cancer cells without the need for MHC specificity. Furthermore, they play a critical role in triggering the adaptive immune response. Enhancing the function of NK cells in the context of cancer is therefore a promising avenue for immunotherapy. Different NK-based therapies have been evaluated in clinical trials, and some have demonstrated clinical benefits, especially in the context of hematological malignancies. Solid tumors remain much more difficult to treat, and the time point and means of intervention of current NK-based treatments still require optimization to achieve long term effects. Here, we review recently described mechanisms of cancer evasion from NK cell immune surveillance, and the therapeutic approaches that aim to potentiate NK function. Specific focus is placed on the use of specialized monoclonal antibodies against moieties on the cancer cell, or on both the tumor and the NK cell. In addition, we highlight newly identified mechanisms that inhibit NK cell activity in the TME, and describe how biochemical modifications of the TME can synergize with current treatments and increase susceptibility to NK cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviad Ben-Shmuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Applied Immunology, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Guy Biber
- Laboratory of Molecular and Applied Immunology, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Mira Barda-Saad
- Laboratory of Molecular and Applied Immunology, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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27
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Alvarez M, Simonetta F, Baker J, Morrison AR, Wenokur AS, Pierini A, Berraondo P, Negrin RS. Indirect Impact of PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade on a Murine Model of NK Cell Exhaustion. Front Immunol 2020; 11:7. [PMID: 32117218 PMCID: PMC7026672 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The induction of exhaustion on effector immune cells is an important limiting factor for cancer immunotherapy efficacy as these cells undergo a hierarchical loss of proliferation and cytolytic activity due to chronic stimulation. Targeting PD-1 has shown unprecedented clinical benefits for many cancers, which have been attributed to the prevention of immune suppression and exhaustion with enhanced anti-tumor responses. In this study, we sought to evaluate the role of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in murine natural killer (NK) cell activation, function, and exhaustion. In an in vivo IL-2-dependent exhaustion mouse model, neutralization of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway improved NK cell activation after chronic stimulation when compared to control-treated mice. These cells displayed higher proliferative capabilities and enhanced granzyme B production. However, the blockade of these molecules during long-term in vitro IL-2 stimulation did not alter the progression of NK cell exhaustion (NCE), suggesting an indirect involvement of PD-1/PD-L1 on NCE. Given the expansion of CD8 T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) observed upon acute and chronic stimulation with IL-2, either of these two populations could influence NK cell homeostasis after PD-L1/PD-1 therapy. Importantly, CD8 T cell activation and functional phenotype were indeed enhanced by PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, particularly with anti-PD-1 treatment that resulted in the highest upregulation of CD25 during chronic stimulation and granted an advantage for IL-2 over NK cells. These results indicate a competition for resources between NK and CD8 T cells that arguably delays the onset of NCE rather than improving its activation during chronic stimulation. Supporting this notion, the depletion of CD8 T cells reversed the benefits of PD-1 therapy on chronically stimulated NK cells. These data suggest a bystander effect of anti-PD1 on NK cells, resulting from the global competition that exists between NK and CD8 T cells for IL-2 as a key regulator of these cells' activation. Thus, achieving an equilibrium between these immune cells might be important to accomplish long-term efficacy during anti-PD-1/IL-2 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite Alvarez
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Federico Simonetta
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Jeanette Baker
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Alyssa R Morrison
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Arielle S Wenokur
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Antonio Pierini
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Pedro Berraondo
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert S Negrin
- Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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28
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Bioinformatic profiling of prognosis-related genes in the breast cancer immune microenvironment. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:9328-9347. [PMID: 31715586 PMCID: PMC6874454 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the microenvironment of breast cancer, immune cell infiltration is associated with an improved prognosis. To identify immune-related prognostic markers and therapeutic targets, we determined the lymphocyte-specific kinase (LCK) metagene scores of samples from breast cancer patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas. The LCK metagene score correlated highly with other immune-related scores, as well as with the clinical stage, prognosis and tumor suppressor gene mutation status (BRCA2, TP53, PTEN) of patients in the four breast cancer subtypes. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to detect representative genes from LCK metagene-related gene modules. In two of these modules, the levels of the co-expressed genes correlated highly with LCK metagene levels, so we conducted an enrichment analysis to discover their functions. We also identified differentially expressed genes in samples with high and low LCK metagene scores. By examining the overlapping results from these analyses, we obtained 115 genes, and found that 22 of them were independent predictors of overall survival in breast cancer patients. These genes were validated for their prognostic and diagnostic value with external data sets and paired tumor and non-tumor tissues. The genes identified herein could serve as diagnostic/prognostic markers and immune-related therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
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29
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Sun H, Sun C. The Rise of NK Cell Checkpoints as Promising Therapeutic Targets in Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2354. [PMID: 31681269 PMCID: PMC6812684 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Haoyu Sun
| | - Cheng Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Cheng Sun
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30
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Chrétien S, Zerdes I, Bergh J, Matikas A, Foukakis T. Beyond PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibition: What the Future Holds for Breast Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E628. [PMID: 31060337 PMCID: PMC6562626 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11050628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has altered the management of human malignancies, improving outcomes in an expanding list of diseases. Breast cancer - presumably due to its perceived low immunogenicity - is a late addition to this list. Furthermore, most of the focus has been on the triple negative subtype because of its higher tumor mutational load and lymphocyte-enriched stroma, although emerging data show promise on the other breast cancer subtypes as well. To this point the clinical use of immunotherapy is limited to the inhibition of two immune checkpoints, Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) and Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated Protein 4 (CTLA-4). Consistent with the complexity of the regulation of the tumor - host interactions and their lack of reliance on a single regulatory pathway, combinatory approaches have shown improved efficacy albeit at the cost of increased toxicity. Beyond those two checkpoints though, a large number of co-stimulatory or co-inhibitory molecules play major roles on tumor evasion from immunosurveillance. These molecules likely represent future targets of immunotherapy provided that the promise shown in early data is translated into improved patient survival in randomized trials. The biological role, prognostic and predictive implications regarding breast cancer and early clinical efforts on exploiting these immune-related therapeutic targets are herein reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Chrétien
- Department of Oncology - Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 76, Sweden.
| | - Ioannis Zerdes
- Department of Oncology - Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 76, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Bergh
- Department of Oncology - Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 76, Sweden.
| | - Alexios Matikas
- Department of Oncology - Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 76, Sweden.
| | - Theodoros Foukakis
- Department of Oncology - Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 171 76, Sweden.
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