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Yakushi A, Sugimoto M, Sasaki T. Co-expression network and survival analysis of breast cancer inflammation and immune system hallmark genes. Comput Biol Chem 2024; 113:108204. [PMID: 39270542 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2024.108204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
The tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) plays a central role in cancer immune response, and its gene expression pattern, called the TLS signature, has shown prognostic value in breast cancer. The formation of TLS and tumor-associated high endothelial venules (TA-HEVs), responsible for lymphocytic infiltration within the TLS, is associated with the expression of cancer hallmark genes (CHGs) related to immunity and inflammation. In this study, we performed co-expression network analysis of immune- and inflammation-related CHGs to identify predictive genes for breast cancer. In total, 382 immune- and inflammation-related CHGs with high expression variance were extracted from the GSE86166 microarray dataset of patients with breast cancer. CHGs were classified into five modules by applying weighted gene co-expression network analysis. The survival analysis results for each module showed that one module comprising 45 genes was statistically significant for relapse-free and overall survival. Four network properties identified key genes in this module with high prognostic prediction abilities: CD34, CXCL12, F2RL2, JAM2, PROS1, RAPGEF3, and SELP. The prognostic accuracy of the seven genes in breast cancer was synergistic and exceeded that of other predictors in both small and large public datasets. Enrichment analysis predicted that these genes had functions related to leukocyte infiltration of TA-HEVs. There was a positive correlation between key gene expression and the TLS signature, suggesting that gene expression levels are associated with TLS density. Co-expression network analysis of inflammation- and immune-related CHGs allowed us to identify genes that share a standard function in cancer immunity and have a high prognostic predictive value. This analytical approach may contribute to the identification of prognostic genes in TLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Yakushi
- Meiji University, Graduate School of Advanced Mathematical and Science, 4-21-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-8525, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sugimoto
- Keio University, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, 246-2 Mizukami, Kakuganji, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0052, Japan; Institute of Medical Science, Research and Development Center for Minimally Invasive Therapies Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
| | - Takanori Sasaki
- Meiji University, Graduate School of Advanced Mathematical and Science, 4-21-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-8525, Japan.
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2
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Zewdie EY, Edwards GM, Hunter DM, Earp HS, Holtzhausen A. MerTK Induces Dysfunctional Dendritic Cells by Metabolic Reprogramming. Cancer Immunol Res 2024; 12:1268-1285. [PMID: 38976507 PMCID: PMC11371516 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Checkpoint inhibitors, specifically anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1), have shown success in treating metastatic melanoma; however, some patients develop resistance. Dendritic cells (DC) play a key role in initiating an immune response, but in certain circumstances they become ineffective. We investigated the role of MerTK, a receptor tyrosine kinase responsible for myeloid cell clearance of dead cells, in the regulation of DC function and metabolism in the tumor microenvironment. Tumors resistant to anti-PD1 exhibited increased levels of MerTK+ DCs. Treating wild-type DCs with apoptotic melanoma cells in vitro resulted in increased MerTK expression, elevated mitochondrial respiration and fatty acid oxidation, and reduced T-cell stimulatory capacity, all characteristics of dysfunctional DCs. In contrast, dead cells had only limited effect on the metabolism of MerTK-deficient DCs, which instead maintained an antigen-presenting, stimulatory phenotype. The efficacy of anti-PD1 to slow tumor progression and induce antigen specific T-cell infiltration was markedly increased in mice with selective ablation of MerTK in the DC compartment, suggesting the possibility of therapeutically targeting MerTK to modulate DC metabolism and function and enhance anti-PD1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden Y Zewdie
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - George M Edwards
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Debra M Hunter
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Henry Shelton Earp
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alisha Holtzhausen
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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3
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Vázquez-Bellón N, Martínez-Bosch N, García de Frutos P, Navarro P. Hallmarks of pancreatic cancer: spotlight on TAM receptors. EBioMedicine 2024; 107:105278. [PMID: 39137571 PMCID: PMC11367522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105278] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents the most prevalent type of pancreatic cancer and ranks among the most aggressive tumours, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 11%. Projections indicate that by 2030, it will become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. PDAC presents distinctive hallmarks contributing to its dismal prognosis: (i) late diagnosis, (ii) heterogenous and complex mutational landscape, (iii) high metastatic potential, (iv) dense fibrotic stroma, (v) immunosuppressive microenvironment, and (vi) high resistance to therapy. Mounting evidence has shown a role for TAM (Tyro3, AXL, MerTK) family of tyrosine kinase receptors in PDAC initiation and progression. This review aims to describe the impact of TAM receptors on the defining hallmarks of PDAC and discuss potential future directions using these proteins as novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and targets for precision therapy in PDAC, an urgent unmet clinical need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Vázquez-Bellón
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; PhD Program in Biomedicine, Facultat de Medicina (Campus Clínic), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Neus Martínez-Bosch
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo García de Frutos
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, Unidad Asociada IMIM/IIBB-CSIC, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pilar Navarro
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB)-CSIC and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRI), Unidad Asociada IIBB-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.
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4
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Amoah S, Cao W, Sayedahmed EE, Wang Y, Kumar A, Mishina M, Eddins DJ, Wang WC, Burroughs M, Sheth M, Lee J, Shieh WJ, Ray SD, Bohannon CD, Ranjan P, Sharma SD, Hoehner J, Arthur RA, Gangappa S, Wakamatsu N, Johnston HR, Pohl J, Mittal SK, Sambhara S. The frequency and function of nucleoprotein-specific CD8 + T cells are critical for heterosubtypic immunity against influenza virus infection. J Virol 2024; 98:e0071124. [PMID: 39082839 PMCID: PMC11334528 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00711-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) mediate host defense against viral and intracellular bacterial infections and tumors. However, the magnitude of CTL response and their function needed to confer heterosubtypic immunity against influenza virus infection are unknown. We addressed the role of CD8+ T cells in the absence of any cross-reactive antibody responses to influenza viral proteins using an adenoviral vector expressing a 9mer amino acid sequence recognized by CD8+ T cells. Our results indicate that both CD8+ T cell frequency and function are crucial for heterosubtypic immunity. Low morbidity, lower viral lung titers, low to minimal lung pathology, and better survival upon heterosubtypic virus challenge correlated with the increased frequency of NP-specific CTLs. NP-CD8+ T cells induced by differential infection doses displayed distinct RNA transcriptome profiles and functional properties. CD8+ T cells induced by a high dose of influenza virus secreted significantly higher levels of IFN-γ and exhibited higher levels of cytotoxic function. The mice that received NP-CD8+ T cells from the high-dose virus recipients through adoptive transfer had lower viral titers following viral challenge than those induced by the low dose of virus, suggesting differential cellular programming by antigen dose. Enhanced NP-CD8+ T-cell functions induced by a higher dose of influenza virus strongly correlated with the increased expression of cellular and metabolic genes, indicating a shift to a more glycolytic metabolic phenotype. These findings have implications for developing effective T cell vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer. IMPORTANCE Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are an important component of the adaptive immune system that clears virus-infected cells or tumor cells. Hence, developing next-generation vaccines that induce or recall CTL responses against cancer and infectious diseases is crucial. However, it is not clear if the frequency, function, or both are essential in conferring protection, as in the case of influenza. In this study, we demonstrate that both CTL frequency and function are crucial for providing heterosubtypic immunity to influenza by utilizing an Ad-viral vector expressing a CD8 epitope only to rule out the role of antibodies, single-cell RNA-seq analysis, as well as adoptive transfer experiments. Our findings have implications for developing T cell vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Amoah
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Weiping Cao
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ekramy E. Sayedahmed
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amrita Kumar
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Margarita Mishina
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Devon J. Eddins
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Wen-Chien Wang
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Mark Burroughs
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mili Sheth
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Justin Lee
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Wun-Ju Shieh
- Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sean D. Ray
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Caitlin D. Bohannon
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Priya Ranjan
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Suresh D. Sharma
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica Hoehner
- Emory Integrated Computational Core, Emory Integrated Core Facilities, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert A. Arthur
- Emory Integrated Computational Core, Emory Integrated Core Facilities, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shivaprakash Gangappa
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nobuko Wakamatsu
- Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - H. Richard Johnston
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jan Pohl
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Suresh K. Mittal
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Suryaprakash Sambhara
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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5
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Liu S, Wu J, Yang D, Xu J, Shi H, Xue B, Ding Z. Big data analytics for MerTK genomics reveals its double-edged sword functions in human diseases. Redox Biol 2024; 70:103061. [PMID: 38341954 PMCID: PMC10869259 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase (MerTK) is a key receptor for the clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) and plays important roles in redox-related human diseases. We will explore MerTK biology in human cells, tissues, and diseases based on big data analytics. METHODS The human RNA-seq and scRNA-seq data about 42,700 samples were from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus and analyzed by QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) with about 170,000 crossover analysis. MerTK expression was quantified as Log2 (FPKM + 0.1). RESULTS We found that, in human cells, MerTK is highly expressed in macrophages, monocytes, progenitor cells, alpha-beta T cells, plasma B cells, myeloid cells, and endothelial cells (ECs). In human tissues, MerTK has higher expression in plaque, blood vessels, heart, liver, sensory system, artificial tissue, bone, adrenal gland, central nervous system (CNS), and connective tissue. Compared to normal conditions, MerTK expression in related tissues is altered in many human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and brain disorders. Interestingly, MerTK expression also shows sex differences in many tissues, indicating that MerTK may have different impact on male and female. Finally, based on our proteomics from primary human aortic ECs, we validated the functions of MerTK in several human diseases, such as cancer, aging, kidney failure and heart failure. CONCLUSIONS Our big data analytics suggest that MerTK may be a promising therapeutic target, but how it should be modulated depends on the disease types and sex differences. For example, MerTK inhibition emerges as a new strategy for cancer therapy due to it counteracts effect on anti-tumor immunity, while MerTK restoration represents a promising treatment for atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction as MerTK is cleaved in these disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Liu
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Jinzi Wu
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Daixuan Yang
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Jianliang Xu
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Hang Shi
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Bingzhong Xue
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Zufeng Ding
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
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6
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Miao YR, Rankin EB, Giaccia AJ. Therapeutic targeting of the functionally elusive TAM receptor family. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:201-217. [PMID: 38092952 PMCID: PMC11335090 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00846-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The TAM receptor family of TYRO3, AXL and MERTK regulates tissue and immune homeostasis. Aberrant TAM receptor signalling has been linked to a range of diseases, including cancer, fibrosis and viral infections. Specifically, the dysregulation of TAM receptors can enhance tumour growth and metastasis due to their involvement in multiple oncogenic pathways. For example, TAM receptors have been implicated in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, maintaining the stem cell phenotype, immune modulation, proliferation, angiogenesis and resistance to conventional and targeted therapies. Therapeutically, multiple TAM receptor inhibitors are in preclinical and clinical development for cancers and other indications, with those targeting AXL being the most clinically advanced. Although there has been notable clinical advancement in recent years, challenges persist. This Review aims to provide both biological and clinical insights into the current therapeutic landscape of TAM receptor inhibitors, and evaluates their potential for the treatment of cancer and non-malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Rebecca Miao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Erinn B Rankin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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7
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DeRyckere D, Huelse JM, Earp HS, Graham DK. TAM family kinases as therapeutic targets at the interface of cancer and immunity. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:755-779. [PMID: 37667010 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Novel treatment approaches are needed to overcome innate and acquired mechanisms of resistance to current anticancer therapies in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment. The TAM (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) family receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are potential therapeutic targets in a wide range of cancers. In cancer cells, TAM RTKs activate signalling pathways that promote cell survival, metastasis and resistance to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies. TAM RTKs also function in innate immune cells, contributing to various mechanisms that suppress antitumour immunity and promote resistance to immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, TAM antagonists provide an unprecedented opportunity for both direct and immune-mediated therapeutic activity provided by inhibition of a single target, and are likely to be particularly effective when used in combination with other cancer therapies. To exploit this potential, a variety of agents have been designed to selectively target TAM RTKs, many of which have now entered clinical testing. This Review provides an essential guide to the TAM RTKs for clinicians, including an overview of the rationale for therapeutic targeting of TAM RTKs in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment, a description of the current preclinical and clinical experience with TAM inhibitors, and a perspective on strategies for continued development of TAM-targeted agents for oncology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Department of Medicine, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Safaroghli-Azar A, Emadi F, Lenjisa J, Mekonnen L, Wang S. Kinase inhibitors: Opportunities for small molecule anticancer immunotherapies. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103525. [PMID: 36907320 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
As the fifth pillar of cancer treatment, immunotherapy has dramatically changed the paradigm of therapeutic strategies by focusing on the host's immune system. In the long road of immunotherapy development, the identification of immune-modulatory effects for kinase inhibitors opened a new chapter in this therapeutic approach. These small molecule inhibitors not only directly eradicate tumors by targeting essential proteins of cell survival and proliferation but can also drive immune responses against malignant cells. This review summarizes the current standings and challenges of kinase inhibitors in immunotherapy, either as a single agent or in a combined modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ava Safaroghli-Azar
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Fatemeh Emadi
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Jimma Lenjisa
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Laychiluh Mekonnen
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Shudong Wang
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, SA 5000, Australia.
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Park M, Kuen DS, Park J, Choi M, Kim Y, Roh EC, Choi YJ, Kim YG, Chung Y, Cho SY, Kang KW. TYRO3 blockade enhances anti-PD-1 therapy response by modulating expression of CCN1 in tumor microenvironment. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2022-006084. [PMID: 36693679 PMCID: PMC9884874 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunological contexture differs across malignancies, and understanding it in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is essential for development of new anticancer agents in order to achieve synergistic effects with anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) therapy. TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK receptors are bi-expressed in both cancer and immune cells, and thus emerge as promising targets for therapeutic intervention. Whereas AXL and MERTK have been extensively studied, the role of TYRO3, in the TME, is still undetermined. METHODS Here, we screened the TYRO3-focused chemical library consisting of 208 compounds and presented a potent and highly selective TYRO3 inhibitor, KRCT87. We explored the role of TYRO3 using mouse engrafting MC38 or 4T1 tumors. We validated the results using flow cytometry, RNA sequencing analysis, gene knockdown or overexpression, ex vivo immune cells isolation from mouse models, immunoblotting and quantitative PCR. Flow cytometry was used for the quantification of cell populations and immunophenotyping of macrophages and T cells. Co-cultures of macrophages and T cells were performed to verify the role of CCN1 in the tumors. RESULTS TYRO3 blockade boosts antitumor immune responses in both the tumor-draining lymph nodes and tumors in MC38-syngeneic mice models. Moreover, the combination of KRCT87 and anti-PD-1 therapy exerts significant synergistic antitumor effects in anti-PD-1-non-responsive 4T1-syngeneic model. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that inhibition of TYRO3-driven CCN1 secretion fosters macrophages into M1-skewing phenotypes, thereby triggering antitumor T-cell responses. CCN1 overexpression in MC38 tumors diminishes responsiveness to anti-PD-1 therapy. CONCLUSIONS The activated TYRO3-CCN1 axis in cancer could dampen anti-PD-1 therapy responses. These findings highlight the potential of TYRO3 blockade to improve the clinical outcomes of anti-PD-1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miso Park
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Da-Sol Kuen
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jaewoo Park
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Munkyung Choi
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yeonji Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Eun Chae Roh
- College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Yong June Choi
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoon Gyoon Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Yeonseok Chung
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung Yun Cho
- Department of Drug Discovery, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Keon Wook Kang
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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10
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Safety and Immunogenicity of a Single Dose of BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in a Warfarin-Treated Protein S Deficient Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review. Hematol Rep 2022; 14:373-376. [PMID: 36547235 PMCID: PMC9779118 DOI: 10.3390/hematolrep14040051] [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: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with protein S (PS) deficiency possibly have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease. Therefore, vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infections is recommended for PS-deficient patients. However, there are limited data regarding the safety and immunogenicity of the currently available COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in PS-deficient patients. We report a case of monitoring the antibody response of a 40-year-old female diagnosed with PS deficiency and on warfarin treatment following a single dose of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Antibody against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein (anti-S) was measured on days 7, 14, and 21 after vaccination. Seroconversion was detected on day 21 but was possibly lower than the anti-S level previously reported in healthy individuals after receiving the first dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. There were no local and systemic events reported up to 7 days in this patient after vaccination. This case highlights that the administration of the BNT162b2 vaccine had a favourable safety profile, and the second dose of the vaccine is required to provide the optimal protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in PS-deficient patients.
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11
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Wu SF, Lin CY, Tsai RK, Wen YT, Lin FH, Chang CY, Shen CI, Lin SZ, Harn HJ, Chiou TW, Liu CS, Chen YT, Su HL. Mitochondrial Transplantation Moderately Ameliorates Retinal Degeneration in Royal College of Surgeons Rats. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2883. [PMID: 36359403 PMCID: PMC9687640 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells possess high mitochondria content for energy production, which is required for phagocytosis and vision cycle metabolism. The mitochondrial integrity in RPE cells helps the homeostasis of photoreceptor turnover and prevents retina aging and degeneration. Mitochondrial transplantation benefits the recovery of several acute inflammatory diseases, leading us to investigate the effects of mitochondrial transplantation on retina degeneration. Allogeneic mitochondria were isolated and delivered into the vitreous chamber in the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats, which exhibit inherited and early-onset retina degeneration. The progress of retina degeneration was examined with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and visual evoked potential (VEP) to determine the retina thickness and integrity of afferent electrical signals from affected eyes, respectively. We found that mitochondria engraftment moderately attenuated the degeneration of retinal layers in RCS rats by histological examination. This result was consistent with the OCT measurement of retina thickness around the optic disc. The VEP analysis revealed that the peak one (N1) latency, representing the arriving time of electrical impulse from the retina to cortex, was substantially maintained as the normal value after the mitochondrial transplantation. This result suggests that the intra-vitreous transplanted mitochondria ameliorate the degeneration of photoreceptors in RCS rats and might be potential for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Fang Wu
- The Joint Ph.D. Program in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, National Health Research Institutes and National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yao Lin
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Kung Tsai
- Institute of Eye Research, Buddhist Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Tseng Wen
- Institute of Eye Research, Buddhist Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Huei Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yu Chang
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Ching-I Shen
- Duogenic Stem Cells Corporation, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 970, Taiwan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 970, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 970, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- Department of Life Science and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 974, Taiwan
| | - Chin-San Liu
- Vascular and Genomic Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan
- Departments of Neurology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Ting Chen
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Lin Su
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
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12
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Kosta A, Mekhloufi A, Lucantonio L, Zingoni A, Soriani A, Cippitelli M, Gismondi A, Fazio F, Petrucci MT, Santoni A, Stabile H, Fionda C. GAS6/TAM signaling pathway controls MICA expression in multiple myeloma cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:942640. [PMID: 35967396 PMCID: PMC9368199 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.942640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NKG2D ligands play a relevant role in Natural Killer (NK) cell -mediated immune surveillance of multiple myeloma (MM). Different levels of regulation control the expression of these molecules at cell surface. A number of oncogenic proteins and miRNAs act as negative regulators of NKG2D ligand transcription and translation, but the molecular mechanisms sustaining their basal expression in MM cells remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the role of the growth arrest specific 6 (GAS6)/TAM signaling pathway in the regulation of NKG2D ligand expression and MM recognition by NK cells. Our data showed that GAS6 as well as MERTK and AXL depletion in MM cells results in MICA downregulation and inhibition of NKG2D-mediated NK cell degranulation. Noteworthy, GAS6 derived from bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) also increases MICA expression at both protein and mRNA level in human MM cell lines and in primary malignant plasma cells. NF-kB activation is required for these regulatory mechanisms since deletion of a site responsive for this transcription factor compromises the induction of mica promoter by BMSCs. Accordingly, knockdown of GAS6 reduces the capability of BMSCs to activate NF-kB pathway as well as to enhance MICA expression in MM cells. Taken together, these results shed light on molecular mechanism underlying NKG2D ligand regulation and identify GAS6 protein as a novel autocrine and paracrine regulator of basal expression of MICA in human MM cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Kosta
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Abdelilah Mekhloufi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Lorenzo Lucantonio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Zingoni
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Soriani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Cippitelli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Gismondi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Fazio
- Division of Hematology, Department of Translational Medicine and Precision, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Petrucci
- Division of Hematology, Department of Translational Medicine and Precision, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Santoni
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Helena Stabile
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Cinzia Fionda, ; Helena Stabile,
| | - Cinzia Fionda
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Cinzia Fionda, ; Helena Stabile,
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13
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Two-Front War on Cancer-Targeting TAM Receptors in Solid Tumour Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102488. [PMID: 35626092 PMCID: PMC9140196 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In recent years, many studies have shown the importance of TAM kinases in both normal and neoplastic cells. In this review, we present and discuss the role of the TAM family (AXL, MERTK, TYRO3) of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) as a dual target in cancer, due to their intrinsic roles in tumour cell survival, migration, chemoresistance, and their immunosuppressive roles in the tumour microenvironment. This review presents the potential of TAMs as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer treatment, focusing on the distinct structures of TAM receptor tyrosine kinases. We analyse and compare different strategies of TAM inhibition, for a full perspective of current and future battlefields in the war with cancer. Abstract Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are transmembrane receptors that bind growth factors and cytokines and contain a regulated kinase activity within their cytoplasmic domain. RTKs play an important role in signal transduction in both normal and malignant cells, and their encoding genes belong to the most frequently affected genes in cancer cells. The TAM family proteins (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) are involved in diverse biological processes: immune regulation, clearance of apoptotic cells, platelet aggregation, cell proliferation, survival, and migration. Recent studies show that TAMs share overlapping functions in tumorigenesis and suppression of antitumour immunity. MERTK and AXL operate in innate immune cells to suppress inflammatory responses and promote an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment, while AXL expression correlates with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and motility in tumours. Therefore, TAM RTKs represent a dual target in cancer due to their intrinsic roles in tumour cell survival, migration, chemoresistance, and their immunosuppressive roles in the tumour microenvironment (TME). In this review, we discuss the potential of TAMs as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. We critically assess and compare current approaches to target TAM RTKs in solid tumours and the development of new inhibitors for both extra- and intracellular domains of TAM receptor kinases.
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14
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Lahey KC, Gadiyar V, Hill A, Desind S, Wang Z, Davra V, Patel R, Zaman A, Calianese D, Birge RB. Mertk: An emerging target in cancer biology and immuno-oncology. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 368:35-59. [PMID: 35636929 PMCID: PMC9994207 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Mertk, a type I Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) and member of the TAM (Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk) family of homologous tyrosine kinases, has important roles in signal transduction both homeostatically on normal cells as well as patho-physiologically on both tumor-associated macrophages and malignant cells by its overexpression in a wide array of cancers. The main ligands of Mertk are Vitamin K-modified endogenous proteins Gas6 and Protein S (ProS1), heterobifunctional modular proteins that bind Mertk via two carboxyl-terminal laminin-like globular (LG) domains, and an N-terminal Gla domain that binds anionic phospholipids, whereby externalized phosphatidylserine (PS) on stressed viable and caspase-activated apoptotic cells is most emblematic. Recent studies indicate that Vitamin K-dependent γ-carboxylation on the N-terminal Gla domain of Gas6 and Protein S is necessary for PS binding and Mertk activation, implying that Mertk is preferentially active in tissues where there is high externalized PS, such as the tumor microenvironment (TME) and acute virally infected tissues. Once stimulated, activated Mertk can provide a survival advantage for cancer cells as well as drive compensatory proliferation. On monocytes and tumor-associated macrophages, Mertk promotes efferocytosis and acts as an inhibitory receptor that impairs host anti-tumor immunity, functioning akin to a myeloid checkpoint inhibitor. In recent years, inhibition of Mertk has been implicated in a dual role to enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells to cytotoxic agents along with improving host anti-tumor immunity with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. Here, we examine the rationale of Mertk-targeted immunotherapies, the current and potential therapeutic strategies, the clinical status of Mertk-specific therapies, and potential challenges and obstacles for Mertk-focused therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C Lahey
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States.
| | - Varsha Gadiyar
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Amanda Hill
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Samuel Desind
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Ziren Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Viralkumar Davra
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Radhey Patel
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Ahnaf Zaman
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - David Calianese
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Raymond B Birge
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ, United States.
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15
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Powell RM, Peeters MJW, Rahbech A, Aehnlich P, Seremet T, thor Straten P. Small Molecule Inhibitors of MERTK and FLT3 Induce Cell Cycle Arrest in Human CD8 + T Cells. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111294. [PMID: 34835225 PMCID: PMC8617686 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in the development of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases inhibitors (RTKIs) for cancer treatment, as dysregulation of RTK expression can govern oncogenesis. Among the newer generations of RTKIs, many target Mer Tyrosine Kinase (MERTK) and Fms related RTK 3 (FLT3). Next to being overexpressed in many cancers, MERTK and FLT3 have important roles in immune cell development and function. In this study, we address how the new generation and potent RTKIs of MERTK/FLT3 affect human primary CD8+ T cell function. Using ex vivo T cell receptor (TCR)-activated CD8+ T cells, we demonstrate that use of dual MERTK/FLT3 inhibitor UNC2025 restricts CD8+ T proliferation at the G2 phase, at least in part by modulation of mTOR signaling. Cytokine production and activation remain largely unaffected. Finally, we show that activated CD8+ T cells express FLT3 from day two post activation, and FLT3 inhibition with AC220 (quizartinib) or siRNA-mediated knockdown affects cell cycle kinetics. These results signify that caution is needed when using potent RTKIs in the context of antitumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M. Powell
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (R.M.P.); (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.); (P.A.); (T.S.)
| | - Marlies J. W. Peeters
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (R.M.P.); (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.); (P.A.); (T.S.)
| | - Anne Rahbech
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (R.M.P.); (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.); (P.A.); (T.S.)
| | - Pia Aehnlich
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (R.M.P.); (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.); (P.A.); (T.S.)
| | - Tina Seremet
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (R.M.P.); (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.); (P.A.); (T.S.)
| | - Per thor Straten
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (R.M.P.); (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.); (P.A.); (T.S.)
- Inflammation and Cancer Group, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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16
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Lindsay RS, Whitesell JC, Dew KE, Rodriguez E, Sandor AM, Tracy D, Yannacone SF, Basta BN, Jacobelli J, Friedman RS. MERTK on mononuclear phagocytes regulates T cell antigen recognition at autoimmune and tumor sites. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20200464. [PMID: 34415994 PMCID: PMC8383814 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20200464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of immune regulation is key to developing immunotherapies for autoimmunity and cancer. We examined the role of mononuclear phagocytes during peripheral T cell regulation in type 1 diabetes and melanoma. MERTK expression and activity in mononuclear phagocytes in the pancreatic islets promoted islet T cell regulation, resulting in reduced sensitivity of T cell scanning for cognate antigen in prediabetic islets. MERTK-dependent regulation led to reduced T cell activation and effector function at the disease site in islets and prevented rapid progression of type 1 diabetes. In human islets, MERTK-expressing cells were increased in remaining insulin-containing islets of type 1 diabetic patients, suggesting that MERTK protects islets from autoimmune destruction. MERTK also regulated T cell arrest in melanoma tumors. These data indicate that MERTK signaling in mononuclear phagocytes drives T cell regulation at inflammatory disease sites in peripheral tissues through a mechanism that reduces the sensitivity of scanning for antigen leading to reduced responsiveness to antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin S. Lindsay
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
| | - Jennifer C. Whitesell
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Aurora, CO
| | - Kristen E. Dew
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
| | - Erika Rodriguez
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Aurora, CO
| | - Adam M. Sandor
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
| | - Dayna Tracy
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
| | - Seth F. Yannacone
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
| | | | - Jordan Jacobelli
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Aurora, CO
| | - Rachel S. Friedman
- Department of Immunology & Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
- Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Aurora, CO
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17
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Hurkmans DP, Verdegaal EME, Hogan SA, de Wijn R, Hovestad L, van den Heuvel DMA, Ruijtenbeek R, Welters MJP, van Brakel M, Basak EA, Pinedo HM, Lamers CHJ, van de Werken HJG, Groten JP, Debets R, Levesque MP, Dummer R, Kapiteijn E, Mathijssen RHJ, Aerts JGJV, van der Burg SH. Blood-based kinase activity profiling: a potential predictor of response to immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 8:jitc-2020-001607. [PMID: 33427690 PMCID: PMC7757459 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many cancer patients do not obtain clinical benefit from immune checkpoint inhibition. Checkpoint blockade targets T cells, suggesting that tyrosine kinase activity profiling of baseline peripheral blood mononuclear cells may predict clinical outcome. Methods Here a total of 160 patients with advanced melanoma or non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treated with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (anti-CTLA-4) or anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1), were divided into five discovery and cross-validation cohorts. The kinase activity profile was generated by analyzing phosphorylation of peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysates in a microarray comprising of 144 peptides derived from sites that are substrates for protein tyrosine kinases. Binary grouping into patients with or without clinical benefit was based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors V.1.1. Predictive models were trained using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), performance of the models was evaluated by estimating the correct classification rate (CCR) using cross-validation. Results The kinase phosphorylation signatures segregated responders from non-responders by differences in canonical pathways governing T-cell migration, infiltration and co-stimulation. PLS-DA resulted in a CCR of 100% and 93% in the anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD1 melanoma discovery cohorts, respectively. Cross-validation cohorts to estimate the accuracy of the predictive models showed CCRs of 83% for anti-CTLA-4 and 78% or 68% for anti-PD-1 in melanoma or NSCLC, respectively. Conclusion Blood-based kinase activity profiling for response prediction to immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma and NSCLC revealed increased kinase activity in pathways associated with T-cell function and led to a classification model with a highly accurate classification rate in cross-validation groups. The predictive value of kinase activity profiling is prospectively verified in an ongoing trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan P Hurkmans
- Department of Pulmonology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands .,Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Els M E Verdegaal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sabrina A Hogan
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rik de Wijn
- PamGene International B.V, HH 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | - Lies Hovestad
- PamGene International B.V, HH 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | | | - Rob Ruijtenbeek
- PamGene International B.V, HH 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | - Marij J P Welters
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mandy van Brakel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Edwin A Basak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Cor H J Lamers
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harmen J G van de Werken
- Department of Urology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Cancer Computational Biology Center, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - John P Groten
- PamGene International B.V, HH 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | - Reno Debets
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Reinhard Dummer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ellen Kapiteijn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ron H J Mathijssen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim G J V Aerts
- Department of Pulmonology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd H van der Burg
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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18
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Lu T, Ma R, Li Z, Mansour AG, Teng KY, Chen L, Zhang J, Barr T, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Hijacking TYRO3 from Tumor Cells via Trogocytosis Enhances NK-Cell Effector Functions and Proliferation. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:1229-1241. [PMID: 34326137 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-1014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Trogocytosis is a fast, cell-cell contact-dependent uptake of membrane patches and associated molecules by one cell from another. Here, we report our investigation of trogocytosis of TYRO3, a cell membrane protein, from tumor target cells to natural killer (NK) cells and the associated functional consequences for NK cells. We found that although NK cells did not express endogenous TYRO3 on the cell surface, activated NK cells rapidly acquired TYRO3 from tumor cells via trogocytosis in vitro and in vivo. NK cells that acquired TYRO3, which we termed TYRO3+ NK cells, had significantly enhanced cytotoxicity and IFNγ production as well as higher expression of some activated surface markers compared with TYRO3- NK cells. Furthermore, the activation status of NK cells and TYRO3 expression levels on donor cells, either endogenous or ectopic, positively correlated with trogocytosis levels. When the antigen-presenting cell (APC) K562 leukemia cell line, a feeder cell line to expand NK cells, overexpressed TYRO3, TYRO3 was transferred to NK cells via trogocytosis, which improved NK-cell proliferation ex vivo. This provides a strategy to manufacture NK cells or their engineered counterparts, such as chimeric antigen receptor NK cells, for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Lu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Rui Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Zhenlong Li
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Anthony G Mansour
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kun-Yu Teng
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Tasha Barr
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. .,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.,Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. .,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.,Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
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19
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Zhou L, Matsushima GK. Tyro3, Axl, Mertk receptor-mediated efferocytosis and immune regulation in the tumor environment. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 361:165-210. [PMID: 34074493 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Three structurally related tyrosine receptor cell surface kinases, Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk (TAM) have been recognized to modulate immune function, tissue homeostasis, cardiovasculature, and cancer. The TAM receptor family appears to operate in adult mammals across multiple cell types, suggesting both widespread and specific regulation of cell functions and immune niches. TAM family members regulate tissue homeostasis by monitoring the presence of phosphatidylserine expressed on stressed or apoptotic cells. The detection of phosphatidylserine on apoptotic cells requires intermediary molecules that opsonize the dying cells and tether them to TAM receptors on phagocytes. This complex promotes the engulfment of apoptotic cells, also known as efferocytosis, that leads to the resolution of inflammation and tissue healing. The immune mechanisms dictating these processes appear to fall upon specific family members or may involve a complex of different receptors acting cooperatively to resolve and repair damaged tissues. Here, we focus on the role of TAM receptors in triggering efferocytosis and its consequences in the regulation of immune responses in the context of inflammation and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwen Zhou
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina-CH, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Glenn K Matsushima
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina-CH, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; UNC Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of North Carolina-CH, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; UNC Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina-CH, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
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20
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Park M, Kim JW, Kim KM, Kang S, Kim W, Kim JK, Cho Y, Lee H, Baek MC, Bae JH, Lee SH, Jeong SB, Lim SC, Jun DW, Cho SY, Kim Y, Choi YJ, Kang KW. Circulating Small Extracellular Vesicles Activate TYRO3 to Drive Cancer Metastasis and Chemoresistance. Cancer Res 2021; 81:3539-3553. [PMID: 33910929 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EV) in the tumor microenvironment have emerged as crucial mediators that promote proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance. However, the role of circulating small EVs (csEV) in cancer progression remains poorly understood. In this study, we report that csEV facilitate cancer progression and determine its molecular mechanism. csEVs strongly promoted the migration of cancer cells via interaction with phosphatidylserine of csEVs. Among the three TAM receptors, TYRO3, AXL, and MerTK, TYRO3 mainly interacted with csEVs. csEV-mediated TYRO3 activation promoted migration and metastasis via the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stimulation of RhoA in invasive cancer cells. Additionally, csEV-TYRO3 interaction induced YAP activation, which led to increased cell proliferation and chemoresistance. Combination treatment with gefitinib and KRCT-6j, a selective TYRO3 inhibitor, significantly reduced tumor volume in xenografts implanted with gefitinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer cells. The results of this study show that TYRO3 activation by csEVs facilitates cancer cell migration and chemoresistance by activation of RhoA or YAP, indicating that the csEV/TYRO3 interaction may serve as a potential therapeutic target for aggressive cancers in the clinic. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate that circulating extracellular vesicles are a novel driver in migration and survival of aggressive cancer cells via TYRO3 activation. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/81/13/3539/F1.large.jpg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miso Park
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Won Kim
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Kyu Min Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Natural Science, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungmin Kang
- Department of Life Science, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- KaiPharm, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Wankyu Kim
- Department of Life Science, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ki Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngnam Cho
- Biomarker Branch, National Cancer Center, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungjae Lee
- Biomarker Branch, National Cancer Center, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon Chang Baek
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Hyun Bae
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Baek Jeong
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Chul Lim
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Won Jun
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Yun Cho
- Department of Drug Discovery, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonji Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong June Choi
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Keon Wook Kang
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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21
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Maimon A, Levi-Yahid V, Ben-Meir K, Halpern A, Talmi Z, Priya S, Mizraji G, Mistriel-Zerbib S, Berger M, Baniyash M, Loges S, Burstyn-Cohen T. Myeloid cell-derived PROS1 inhibits tumor metastasis by regulating inflammatory and immune responses via IL-10. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:126089. [PMID: 33848267 DOI: 10.1172/jci126089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulation of TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) receptor tyrosine kinases promotes tumor progression through numerous cellular mechanisms. TAM cognate ligands GAS6 and PROS1 (for TYRO3 and MERTK) are secreted by host immune cells, an interaction which may support tumor progression. Here, we revealed an unexpected antimetastatic role for myeloid-derived PROS1: suppressing metastatic potential in lung and breast tumor models. Pros1 deletion in myeloid cells led to increased lung metastasis, independent of primary tumor infiltration. PROS1-cKO bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) led to elevated TNF-α, IL-6, Nos2, and IL-10 via modulation of the Socs3/NF-κB pathway. Conditioned medium from cKO BMDMs enhanced EMT, ERK, AKT, and STAT3 activation within tumor cells and promoted IL-10-dependent invasion and survival. Macrophages isolated from metastatic lungs modulated T cell proliferation and function, as well as expression of costimulatory molecules on DCs in a PROS1-dependent manner. Inhibition of MERTK kinase activity blocked PROS1-mediated suppression of TNF-α and IL-6 but not IL-10. Overall, using lung and breast cancer models, we identified the PROS1/MERTK axis within BMDMs as a potent regulator of adaptive immune responses with a potential to suppress metastatic seeding and revealed IL-10 regulation by PROS1 to deviate from that of TNF-α and IL-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avi Maimon
- The Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine and
| | | | - Kerem Ben-Meir
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Israel-Canada Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amit Halpern
- The Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine and
| | - Ziv Talmi
- The Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine and
| | - Shivam Priya
- The Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine and
| | - Gabriel Mizraji
- The Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine and
| | - Shani Mistriel-Zerbib
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Israel-Canada Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michael Berger
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Israel-Canada Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Baniyash
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Israel-Canada Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Sonja Loges
- Division of Personalized Medical Oncology (A420), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Personalized Oncology, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
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22
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Aehnlich P, Powell RM, Peeters MJW, Rahbech A, thor Straten P. TAM Receptor Inhibition-Implications for Cancer and the Immune System. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061195. [PMID: 33801886 PMCID: PMC7998716 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary TAM receptors are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases, comprising Tyro3, Axl and MerTK. Their primary role is in digestion of dying cells by macrophages without alarming the immune system. TAM receptors are also expressed by cancer cells in which signaling is oncogenic, and for this reason there is growing interest and research into TAM inhibition. This approach to cancer treatment may, however, come into conflict with beneficial and costimulatory TAM receptor signaling in T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. The aim of this review is to explore in detail the effects of TAM receptor inhibition on cancer cells and immune cells, and how the ramifications of this inhibition may affect cancer treatment in humans. Abstract Tyro3, Axl and MerTK (TAM) receptors are receptor tyrosine kinases which play important roles in efferocytosis and in the balancing of immune responses and inflammation. TAM receptor activation is induced upon binding of the ligands protein S (Pros1) or growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) which act as bridging molecules for binding of phosphatidyl serine (PtdSer) exposed on apoptotic cell membranes. Upon clearance of apoptotic cell material, TAM receptor activation on innate cells suppresses proinflammatory functions, thereby ensuring the immunologically silent removal of apoptotic material in the absence of deleterious immune responses. However, in T cells, MerTK signaling is costimulatory and promotes activation and functional output of the cell. MerTK and Axl are also aberrantly expressed in a range of both hematological and solid tumor malignancies, including breast, lung, melanoma and acute myeloid leukemia, where they have a role in oncogenic signaling. Consequently, TAM receptors are being investigated as therapeutic targets using small molecule inhibitors and have already demonstrated efficacy in mouse tumor models. Thus, inhibition of TAM signaling in cancer cells could have therapeutic value but given the opposing roles of TAM signaling in innate cells and T cells, TAM inhibition could also jeopardize anticancer immune responses. This conflict is discussed in this review, describing the effects of TAM inhibition on cancer cells as well as immune cells, while also examining the intricate interplay of cancer and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Aehnlich
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
- Correspondence: (P.A.); (R.M.P.); (P.t.S.)
| | - Richard Morgan Powell
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
- Correspondence: (P.A.); (R.M.P.); (P.t.S.)
| | - Marlies J. W. Peeters
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Anne Rahbech
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Per thor Straten
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: (P.A.); (R.M.P.); (P.t.S.)
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23
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Lu T, Chen L, Mansour AG, Yu MJ, Brooks N, Teng KY, Li Z, Zhang J, Barr T, Yu J, Caligiuri MA. Cbl-b Is Upregulated and Plays a Negative Role in Activated Human NK Cells. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2021; 206:677-685. [PMID: 33419766 PMCID: PMC8184061 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2000177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b has been characterized as an intracellular checkpoint in T cells; however, the function of Cbl-b in primary human NK cells, an innate immune anti-tumor effector cell, is not well defined. In this study, we show that the expression of Cbl-b is significantly upregulated in primary human NK cells activated by IL-15, IL-2, and the human NK cell-sensitive tumor cell line K562 that lacks MHC class I expression. Pretreatment with JAK or AKT inhibitors prior to IL-15 stimulation reversed Cbl-b upregulation. Downregulation of Cbl-b resulted in significant increases in granzyme B and perforin expression, IFN-γ production, and cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. Collectively, we demonstrate upregulation of Cbl-b and its inhibitory effects in IL-15/IL-2/K562-activated human NK cells, suggesting that Cbl-b plays a negative feedback role in human NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Lu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Anthony G Mansour
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Melissa J Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Noah Brooks
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Kun-Yu Teng
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Zhenlong Li
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Tasha Barr
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Duarte, CA 91010; and
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010;
- Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplantation Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Duarte, CA 91010; and
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010
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24
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Msaouel P, Genovese G, Gao J, Sen S, Tannir NM. TAM kinase inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade- a winning combination in cancer treatment? Expert Opin Ther Targets 2021; 25:141-151. [PMID: 33356674 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2021.1869212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown great promise in a wide spectrum of malignancies. However, responses are not always durable, and this mode of treatment is only effective in a subset of patients. As such, there exists an unmet need for novel approaches to bolster ICI efficacy.Areas covered: We review the role of the Tyro3, Axl, and Mer (TAM) receptor tyrosine kinases in promoting tumor-induced immune suppression and discuss the benefits that may be derived from combining ICI with TAM kinase-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We searched the MEDLINE Public Library of Medicine (PubMed) and EMBASE databases and referred to ClinicalTrials.gov for relevant ongoing studies.Expert opinion: Targeting of TAM kinases may improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade. However, it remains to be determined whether this effect will be better achieved by the selective targeting of each TAM receptor, depending on the context, or by multi-receptor TAM inhibitors. Triple inhibition of all TAM receptors is more likely to be associated with an increased risk for adverse events. Clinical trial designs should use high-resolution clinical endpoints and proper control arms to determine the synergistic effects of combining TAM inhibition with immune checkpoint blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlos Msaouel
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Giannicola Genovese
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jianjun Gao
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Nizar M Tannir
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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25
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Rovati L, Kaneko N, Pedica F, Monno A, Maehara T, Perugino C, Lanzillotta M, Pecetta S, Stone JH, Doglioni C, Manfredi AA, Pillai S, Della-Torre E. Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) as a possible link between resolution of inflammation and tissue fibrosis in IgG4-related disease. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2021; 60:4929-4941. [PMID: 33512463 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keab096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibro-inflammatory disorder characterized by a dysregulated resolution of inflammation and wound healing response that might develop after an apoptotic insult induced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MerTK) and its ligand Protein S (ProS1) have a pivotal role in the resolution of inflammation, being implicated in the clearance of apoptotic cells, quenching of the immune response and development of tissue fibrosis. In the present work we aimed to investigate a possible involvement of the MerTK signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of IgG4-RD and development of tissue fibrosis. METHODS MerTK and ProS1 expression patterns in IgG4-RD lesions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence studies. Circulating MerTK+ monocytes, soluble Mer and MerTK ligands were measured in the peripheral blood of IgG4-RD patients and healthy controls by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS MerTK was highly expressed by macrophages infiltrating IgG4-RD lesions. MerTK+ macrophages were more abundant in IgG4-RD than in Sjögren syndrome and interacted with apoptotic cells and ProS1 expressing T and B lymphocytes. Moreover, they expressed the pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF-β and their numbers declined following rituximab induced disease remission. Circulating MerTK+ monocytes, soluble Mer and MerTK ligands were not increased in the peripheral blood of patients with IgG4-RD. CONCLUSIONS The MerTK-ProS1 axis is activated in IgG4-RD lesions, possibly leading to persistent stimulation of processes involved in the resolution of inflammation and tissue fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucrezia Rovati
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Naoki Kaneko
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Oncology, Division of Maxillofacial Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Federica Pedica
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Pathology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Monno
- Autoimmunity and Vascular Inflammation Laboratory, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Takashi Maehara
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Oncology, Division of Maxillofacial Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Cory Perugino
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco Lanzillotta
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases (UnIRAR), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Pecetta
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John H Stone
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Claudio Doglioni
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Pathology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo A Manfredi
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Autoimmunity and Vascular Inflammation Laboratory, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Shiv Pillai
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emanuel Della-Torre
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases (UnIRAR), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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26
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Llopiz D, Ruiz M, Silva L, Repáraz D, Aparicio B, Egea J, Lasarte JJ, Redin E, Calvo A, Angel M, Berzofsky JA, Stroncek D, Sarobe P. Inhibition of adjuvant-induced TAM receptors potentiates cancer vaccine immunogenicity and therapeutic efficacy. Cancer Lett 2020; 499:279-289. [PMID: 33232788 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Analyzing immunomodulatory elements operating during antitumor vaccination in prostate cancer patients and murine models we identified IL-10-producing DC as a subset with poorer immunogenicity and clinical efficacy. Inhibitory TAM receptors MER and AXL were upregulated on murine IL-10+ DC. Thus, we analyzed conditions inducing these molecules and the potential benefit of their blockade during vaccination. MER and AXL upregulation was more efficiently induced by a vaccine containing Imiquimod than by a poly(I:C)-containing vaccine. Interestingly, MER expression was found on monocyte-derived DC, and was dependent on IL-10. TAM blockade improved Imiquimod-induced DC activation in vitro and in vivo, resulting in increased vaccine-induced T-cell responses, which were further reinforced by concomitant IL-10 inhibition. In different tumor models, a triple therapy (including vaccination, TAM inhibition and IL-10 blockade) provided the strongest therapeutic effect, associated with enhanced T-cell immunity and enhanced CD8+ T cell tumor infiltration. Finally, MER levels in DC used for vaccination in cancer patients correlated with IL-10 expression, showing an inverse association with vaccine-induced clinical response. These results suggest that TAM receptors upregulated during vaccination may constitute an additional target in combinatorial therapeutic vaccination strategies.
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MESH Headings
- Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage
- Animals
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Dendritic Cells/drug effects
- Dendritic Cells/immunology
- Dendritic Cells/metabolism
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/immunology
- Humans
- Imiquimod/administration & dosage
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine/drug effects
- Immunotherapy/methods
- Interleukin-10/metabolism
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/drug effects
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Male
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/pathology
- Melanoma, Experimental/therapy
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Poly I-C/administration & dosage
- Prostatic Neoplasms/immunology
- Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology
- Prostatic Neoplasms/therapy
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics
- Pyrimidines
- Quinolines
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics
- Up-Regulation/drug effects
- Up-Regulation/immunology
- c-Mer Tyrosine Kinase/antagonists & inhibitors
- c-Mer Tyrosine Kinase/genetics
- Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Llopiz
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Marta Ruiz
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Leyre Silva
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - David Repáraz
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Belén Aparicio
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Josune Egea
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Juan J Lasarte
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Esther Redin
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Alfonso Calvo
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain; Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matthew Angel
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA; Center for Cancer Research Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., FNLCR, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Jay A Berzofsky
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Stroncek
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pablo Sarobe
- Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Spain; IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
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27
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Gadiyar V, Patel G, Davra V. Immunological role of TAM receptors in the cancer microenvironment. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 357:57-79. [PMID: 33234245 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2020.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
TAM receptors belong to the family of receptor tyrosine kinases, comprising of Tyro3, Axl and Mertk receptors (TAMs) and are important homeostatic regulators of inflammation in higher eukaryotes. Along with their ligands, Gas6 and ProteinS, TAMs acts as receptors to phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), an anionic phospholipid that becomes externalized on the surface of apoptotic and stressed cells. TAM receptors, specially Mertk, have been well established to play a role in the process of efferocytosis, the engulfment of dying cells. Besides being efferocytic receptors, TAMs are pleiotropic immune modulators as the lack of TAM receptors in various mouse models lead to chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Owing to their immune modulatory role, the PtdSer-TAM receptor signaling axis has been well characterized as a global immune-suppressive signal, and in cancers, and emerging literature implicates TAM receptors in cancer immunology and anti-tumor therapeutics. In the tumor microenvironment, immune-suppressive signals, such as ones that originate from TAM receptor signaling can be detrimental to anti-tumor therapy. In this chapter, we discuss immune modulatory functions of TAM receptors in the tumor microenvironment as well role of differentially expressed TAM receptors and their interactions with immune and tumor cells. Finally, we describe current strategies being utilized for targeting TAMs in several cancers and their implications in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varsha Gadiyar
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Gopi Patel
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
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von Itzstein MS, Burke MC, Brekken RA, Aguilera TA, Zeh HJ, Beg MS. Targeting TAM to Tame Pancreatic Cancer. Target Oncol 2020; 15:579-588. [PMID: 32996059 DOI: 10.1007/s11523-020-00751-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is expected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death within the next few years. Current therapeutic strategies have limited effectiveness and therefore there is an urgency to develop novel effective therapies. The receptor tyrosine kinase subfamily TAM (Tyro3, Axl, MerTK) is directly implicated in the pathogenesis of the metastatic, chemoresistant, and immunosuppressive phenotype in pancreatic cancer. TAM inhibitors are promising investigational therapies for pancreatic cancer due to their potential to target multiple aspects of pancreatic cancer biology. Specifically, recent mechanistic investigations and therapeutic combinations in the preclinical setting suggest that TAM inhibition with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy should be evaluated clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell S von Itzstein
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-8852, USA
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Michael C Burke
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-8852, USA
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rolf A Brekken
- Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Todd A Aguilera
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Herbert J Zeh
- Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Muhammad Shaalan Beg
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX, 75390-8852, USA.
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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29
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Tutusaus A, Marí M, Ortiz-Pérez JT, Nicolaes GAF, Morales A, García de Frutos P. Role of Vitamin K-Dependent Factors Protein S and GAS6 and TAM Receptors in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19-Associated Immunothrombosis. Cells 2020; 9:E2186. [PMID: 32998369 PMCID: PMC7601762 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The vitamin K-dependent factors protein S (PROS1) and growth-arrest-specific gene 6 (GAS6) and their tyrosine kinase receptors TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK, the TAM subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), are key regulators of inflammation and vascular response to damage. TAM signaling, which has largely studied in the immune system and in cancer, has been involved in coagulation-related pathologies. Because of these established biological functions, the GAS6-PROS1/TAM system is postulated to play an important role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and progression complications. The participation of the TAM system in vascular function and pathology has been previously reported. However, in the context of COVID-19, the role of TAMs could provide new clues in virus-host interplay with important consequences in the way that we understand this pathology. From the viral mimicry used by SARS-CoV-2 to infect cells, to the immunothrombosis that is associated with respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients, TAM signaling seems to be involved at different stages of the disease. TAM targeting is becoming an interesting biomedical strategy, which is useful for COVID-19 treatment now, but also for other viral and inflammatory diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tutusaus
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (A.T.); (M.M.)
| | - Montserrat Marí
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (A.T.); (M.M.)
| | - José T. Ortiz-Pérez
- Clinic Cardiovascular Institute, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gerry A. F. Nicolaes
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Albert Morales
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (A.T.); (M.M.)
- Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, CIBEREHD, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo García de Frutos
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, IIBB-CSIC, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (A.T.); (M.M.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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30
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Giroud P, Renaudineau S, Gudefin L, Calcei A, Menguy T, Rozan C, Mizrahi J, Caux C, Duong V, Valladeau-Guilemond J. Expression of TAM-R in Human Immune Cells and Unique Regulatory Function of MerTK in IL-10 Production by Tolerogenic DC. Front Immunol 2020; 11:564133. [PMID: 33101282 PMCID: PMC7546251 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.564133] [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: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells are a key component of the immune infiltrate often correlated with a poor prognosis due to their capacities to sustain an immunosuppressive environment. Among membrane receptors implicated in myeloid cell functions, Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK, which are a family of tyrosine kinase receptors (TAM-R), have been described in the regulation of innate cell functions. Here, we have identified MerTK among TAM-R as the major marker of both human M2 macrophages and tolerogenic dendritic cells (DC). In situ, MerTK expression was found within the immune infiltrate in multiple solid tumors, highlighting its potential role in cancer immunity. TAM-R ligands Gas6 and PROS1 were found to be constitutively produced by myeloid cells in vitro. Importantly, we describe a novel function of MerTK/PROS1 axis in the regulation of IL-10 production by tolerogenic DC. Finally, the analysis of TAM-R expression within the lymphoid compartment following activation revealed that MerTK, but not Axl or Tyro3, is expressed on activated B lymphocytes and regulatory T cells, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Thus, our findings deepen the implication of MerTK in the regulation of myeloid cell-mediated immunosuppression and identified new cellular targets expressing MerTK that could participate in the antitumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Giroud
- Elsalys Biotech SA, Lyon, France.,Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christophe Caux
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | - Jenny Valladeau-Guilemond
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1052 CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
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Chang W, Fa H, Xiao D, Wang J. Targeting phosphatidylserine for Cancer therapy: prospects and challenges. Theranostics 2020; 10:9214-9229. [PMID: 32802188 PMCID: PMC7415799 DOI: 10.7150/thno.45125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite major improvements in current therapeutic methods, ideal therapeutic strategies for improved tumor elimination are still lacking. Recently, immunotherapy has attracted much attention, and many immune-active agents have been approved for clinical use alone or in combination with other cancer drugs. However, some patients have a poor response to these agents. New agents and strategies are needed to overcome such deficiencies. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an essential component of bilayer cell membranes and is normally present in the inner leaflet. In the physiological state, PS exposure on the external leaflet not only acts as an engulfment signal for phagocytosis in apoptotic cells but also participates in blood coagulation, myoblast fusion and immune regulation in nonapoptotic cells. In the tumor microenvironment, PS exposure is significantly increased on the surface of tumor cells or tumor cell-derived microvesicles, which have innate immunosuppressive properties and facilitate tumor growth and metastasis. To date, agents targeting PS have been developed, some of which are under investigation in clinical trials as combination drugs for various cancers. However, controversial results are emerging in laboratory research as well as in clinical trials, and the efficiency of PS-targeting agents remains uncertain. In this review, we summarize recent progress in our understanding of the physiological and pathological roles of PS, with a focus on immune suppressive features. In addition, we discuss current drug developments that are based on PS-targeting strategies in both experimental and clinical studies. We hope to provide a future research direction for the development of new agents for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenguang Chang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, College of medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongge Fa
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, College of medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Dandan Xiao
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, College of medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jianxun Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, College of medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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32
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Peeters MJW, Rahbech A, Thor Straten P. TAM-ing T cells in the tumor microenvironment: implications for TAM receptor targeting. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2020; 69:237-244. [PMID: 31664482 PMCID: PMC7000491 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02421-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The TAM receptors-TYRO3, AXL, MERTK-are pleiotropically expressed receptors in both healthy and diseased tissue. A complex of the ligands Protein S (PROS1) or Growth Arrest-Specific 6 (GAS6) with apoptotic phosphatidylserine activates the TAM receptors. Hence, this receptor family is essential for the efferocytosis of apoptotic material by antigen-presenting cells. In addition, TAM receptors are expressed by virtually all cells of the tumor microenvironment. They are also potent oncogenes, frequently overexpressed in cancer and involved in survival and therapy resistance. Due to their pro-oncogenic and immune-inhibitory traits, TAM receptors have emerged as promising targets for cancer therapy. Recently, TAM receptors have been described to function as costimulatory molecules on human T cells. TAM receptors' ambivalent functions on many different cell types therefore make therapeutic targeting not straight-forward. In this review we summarize our current knowledge of the function of TAM receptors in the tumor microenvironment. We place particular focus on TAM receptors and the recently unraveled role of MERTK in activated T cells and potential consequences for anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies J W Peeters
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anne Rahbech
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Per Thor Straten
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Inflammation and Cancer Group, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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33
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Burstyn-Cohen T, Maimon A. TAM receptors, Phosphatidylserine, inflammation, and Cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2019; 17:156. [PMID: 31775787 PMCID: PMC6881992 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0461-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract The numerous and diverse biological roles of Phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) are featured in this special issue. This review will focus on PtdSer as a cofactor required for stimulating TYRO3, AXL and MERTK – comprising the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases by their ligands Protein S (PROS1) and growth-arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) in inflammation and cancer. As PtdSer binding to TAMs is a requirement for their activation, the biological repertoire of PtdSer is now recognized to be broadened to include functions performed by TAMs. These include key homeostatic roles necessary for preserving a healthy steady state in different tissues, controlling inflammation and further additional roles in diseased states and cancer. The impact of PtdSer on inflammation and cancer through TAM signaling is a highly dynamic field of research. This review will focus on PtdSer as a necessary component of the TAM receptor-ligand complex, and for maximal TAM signaling. In particular, interactions between tumor cells and their immediate environment - the tumor microenvironment (TME) are highlighted, as both cancer cells and TME express TAMs and secrete their ligands, providing a nexus for a multifold of cross-signaling pathways which affects both immune cells and inflammation as well as tumor cell biology and growth. Here, we will highlight the current and emerging knowledge on the implications of PtdSer on TAM signaling, inflammation and cancer. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Burstyn-Cohen
- Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Avi Maimon
- Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel
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