Wnt activation promotes memory T cell polyfunctionality via epigenetic regulator PRMT1

Universal CAR cell therapy: Challenges and expanding applications

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has gained success in adoptive cell therapy for hematological malignancies. Although most CAR cell therapies in clinical trials or markets remain autologous, their acceptance has been limited due to issues like lengthy manufacturing, poor cell quality, and demanding cost. Consequently, "Off-the-shelf", universal CAR (UCAR) cell therapy has emerged. Current concerns with UCAR therapies revolve around side effects such as graft versus host disease (GVHD) and host versus graft response (HVGR). Preclinical research on UCAR cell therapies aims to enhance efficacy and minimize these side effects. Common approaches involve gene editing techniques to knock out T cell receptor (TCR), human leukocyte antigen (HLA), and CD52 expression to mitigate GVHD and HVGR risks. However, these methods carry drawbacks including potential genotoxicity of the edited cells. Most recently, novel editing techniques, such as epigenetic editing and RNA writer systems, have been developed to reduce the risk of GVHD and HVGR, allowing for multiplex editing at different sites. Additionally, incorporating more cell types into UCAR cell therapies, like T-cell subtypes (DNT, γδT, virus-specific T cells) and NK cells, can efficiently target tumors without triggering side effects. In addition, the limited efficacy of T cells and NK cells against solid tumors is being addressed through CAR-Macrophages. In summary, CAR cell therapy has evolved to accommodate multiple cell types while expanding applications to various diseases, including hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, which holds tremendous growth potential and is promised to improve the lives of more patients in the future.

Metformin suppresses gastric cancer progression by disrupting the STAT1-PRMT1 axis

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for patients with unresectable or partially resectable GC. However, its adverse effects and chemoresistance greatly restrict its applicability and efficacy. Although HER2-targeted therapy and immunotherapy have been successfully used for GC treatment, their beneficial population is limited. To expand the range of cancer treatments, drug repurposing has emerged as a promising strategy. In this study, we evaluated the potential of Metformin, an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent, to suppress GC progression both in vivo and in vitro. Functional investigations showed that Metformin significantly inhibits GC proliferation and migration. Furthermore, we discovered that Metformin bound and disrupted STAT1 phosphorylation, inhibiting PRMT1 expression and consequently GC progression. In conclusion, our study not only provides further evidence for the anti-GC role of Metformin but also identifies the direct target mediating the tumor-inhibitory effects of Metformin in GC.

The roles of epigenetic regulation in graft-versus-host disease

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is utilized as a potential curative treatment for various hematologic malignancies. However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) post-aHSCT is a severe complication that significantly impacts patients' quality of life and overall survival, becoming a major cause of non-relapse mortality. In recent years, the association between epigenetics and GVHD has garnered increasing attention. Epigenetics focuses on studying mechanisms that affect gene expression without altering DNA sequences, primarily including DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulation, and RNA modifications. This review summarizes the role of epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis of GVHD, with a focus on DNA methylation, histone modifications, ncRNA, RNA modifications and their involvement and applications in the occurrence and development of GVHD. It also highlights advancements in relevant diagnostic markers and drugs, aiming to provide new insights for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of GVHD.

Generating universal anti-CD19 CAR T cells with a defined memory phenotype by CRISPR/Cas9 editing and safety evaluation of the transcriptome

Introduction

Chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T cells (CAR T cells) have revolutionized cancer treatment, particularly in B cell malignancies. However, the use of autologous T cells for CAR T therapy presents several limitations, including high costs, variable efficacy, and adverse effects linked to cell phenotype.

Methods

To overcome these challenges, we developed a strategy to generate universal and safe anti-CD19 CAR T cells with a defined memory phenotype. Our approach utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 technology to target and eliminate the B2M and TRAC genes, reducing graft-versus-host and host-versus-graft responses. Additionally, we selected less differentiated T cells to improve the stability and persistence of the universal CAR T cells. The safety of this method was assessed using our CRISPRroots transcriptome analysis pipeline, which ensures successful gene knockout and the absence of unintended off-target effects on gene expression or transcriptome sequence.

Results

In vitro experiments demonstrated the successful generation of functional universal CAR T cells. These cells exhibited potent lytic activity against tumor cells and a reduced cytokine secretion profile. The CRISPRroots analysis confirmed effective gene knockout and no unintended off-target effects, validating it as a pioneering tool for on/off-target and transcriptome analysis in genome editing experiments.

Discussion

Our findings establish a robust pipeline for manufacturing safe, universal CAR T cells with a favorable memory phenotype. This approach has the potential to address the current limitations of autologous CAR T cell therapy, offering a more stable and persistent treatment option with reduced adverse effects. The use of CRISPRroots enhances the reliability and safety of gene editing in the development of CAR T cell therapies.

Conclusion

We have developed a potent and reliable method for producing universal CAR T cells with a defined memory phenotype, demonstrating both efficacy and safety in vitro. This innovative approach could significantly improve the therapeutic landscape for patients with B cell malignancies.

SRY-Box transcription factor 9 triggers YAP nuclear entry via direct interaction in tumors

The translocation of YAP from the cytoplasm to the nucleus is critical for its activation and plays a key role in tumor progression. However, the precise molecular mechanisms governing the nuclear import of YAP are not fully understood. In this study, we have uncovered a crucial role of SOX9 in the activation of YAP. SOX9 promotes the nuclear translocation of YAP by direct interaction. Importantly, we have identified that the binding between Asp-125 of SOX9 and Arg-124 of YAP is essential for SOX9-YAP interaction and subsequent nuclear entry of YAP. Additionally, we have discovered a novel asymmetrical dimethylation of YAP at Arg-124 (YAP-R124me2a) catalyzed by PRMT1. YAP-R124me2a enhances the interaction between YAP and SOX9 and is associated with poor prognosis in multiple cancers. Furthermore, we disrupted the interaction between SOX9 and YAP using a competitive peptide, S-A1, which mimics an α-helix of SOX9 containing Asp-125. S-A1 significantly inhibits YAP nuclear translocation and effectively suppresses tumor growth. This study provides the first evidence of SOX9 as a pivotal regulator driving YAP nuclear translocation and presents a potential therapeutic strategy for YAP-driven human cancers by targeting SOX9-YAP interaction.

PRMT1 accelerates cell proliferation, migration, and tumor growth by upregulating ZEB1/H4R3me2as in thyroid carcinoma

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) represents the most prevalent malignancy of the endocrine system. Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is a critical member of the protein arginine methyltransferase family in mammals and is involved in multiple biological processes. This study aimed to investigate the function of PRMT1 in TC. In the present study, human TC cell lines (8505C, CAL62, and BCPAP) and a normal human thyroid cell line Nthy‑ori 3‑1 were employed. Small interfering RNA targeting PRMT1 was used to knock down PRMT1 expression in 8505C cells, and PRMT1 overexpression plasmids were transfected into BCPAP cells. Cell viability was assessed using a CCK‑8 and colony formation assays. Apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry and TUNEL assays. Cell migration was assessed using wound healing and Transwell assays. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of PRMT1. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of PRMT1, E‑cadherin, vimentin, H4R3me2as, and zinc‑finger E homeobox‑binding 1 (ZEB1). Notably, PRMT1 expression was elevated in TC (P<0.01). PRMT1 knockdown inhibited TC cell proliferation and migration and concurrently enhanced migration. Furthermore, PRMT1 knockdown suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in a mouse model of TC. PRMT1 downregulation increased E‑cadherin expression and decreased the expression of vimentin, H4R3me2as, and ZEB1 in the TC cells and the mouse model of TC. Conversely, PRMT1 overexpression had the opposite effect on TC malignant characteristics (P<0.05). These findings suggest that PRMT1 knockdown inhibited TC malignancy by downregulating H4R3me2as/ZEB1, thereby highlighting novel therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers for the management of TC.

Targeting PRMT1 prevents acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Recent studies have reported that protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is essential for the differentiation and proliferation of T and B cells. Therefore, it is possible that PRMT1 may play a critical role in GVHD. In this study, we observed that PRMT1 expression was upregulated in CD4+ T and B cells from chronic GVHD (cGVHD) patients and mice. However, the prophylactic use of a PRMT1 inhibitor significantly prevented cGVHD in mice by reducing the percentage of T helper (Th)17 cells, germinal center B cells, and plasma cells. The PRMT1 inhibitor also controlled acute GVHD (aGVHD) in mice by decreasing the percentage of Th17 cells. Moreover, inhibiting PRMT1 also weakened Th17 cell differentiation, B cell proliferation, and antibody production in cells from cGVHD patients. Additionally, further studies revealed that PRMT1 regulated B cell proliferation and antibody secretion by methylating isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). We observed asymmetric di-methylation of IDH2 by PRMT1 at arginine 353 promoted IDH2 homodimerization, which enhanced IDH2 activity, further increasing B cell proliferation and antibody production. Collectively, this study provides a rationale for the application of PRMT1 inhibitors in the prevention of aGVHD and cGVHD.

Integrative Evaluation of the Clinical Significance Underlying Protein Arginine Methyltransferases in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

HCC is a major contributor to cancer-related mortality worldwide. Curative treatments are available for a minority of patients diagnosed at early stages; however, only a few multikinase inhibitors are available and are marginally effective in advanced cases, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic targets. One potential target is the protein arginine methyltransferase, which catalyzes various forms of arginine methylation and is often overexpressed in various cancers. However, the diverse expression patterns and clinical values of PRMTs in HCC remain unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the transcriptional expression of PRMTs in HCC cohorts using publicly available datasets. Our results revealed a significant association between PRMTs and prognosis in HCC patients with diverse clinical characteristics and backgrounds. This highlights the promising potential of PRMTs as prognostic biomarkers in patients with HCC. In particular, single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing analysis coupled with another human cohort study highlighted the pivotal role of PRMT1 in HCC progression, particularly in the context of Tex. Translating these findings into specific therapeutic decisions may address the unmet therapeutic needs of patients with HCC.

Postnatal administration of S-adenosylmethionine restores developmental AHR activation-induced deficits in CD8+ T cell function during influenza A virus infection

Developmental exposures can influence life-long health; yet, counteracting negative consequences is challenging due to poor understanding of cellular mechanisms. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) binds many small molecules, including numerous pollutants. Developmental exposure to the signature environmental AHR ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) significantly dampens adaptive immune responses to influenza A virus (IAV) in adult offspring. CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are crucial for successful infection resolution, which depends on the number generated and the complexity of their functionality. Prior studies showed developmental AHR activation significantly reduced the number of virus-specific CD8+ T cells, but impact on their functions is less clear. Other studies showed developmental exposure was associated with differences in DNA methylation in CD8+ T cells. Yet, empirical evidence that differences in DNA methylation are causally related to altered CD8+ T cell function is lacking. The two objectives were to ascertain whether developmental AHR activation affects CTL function, and whether differences in methylation contribute to reduced CD8+ T cell responses to infection. Developmental AHR triggering significantly reduced CTL polyfunctionality, and modified the transcriptional program of CD8+ T cells. S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), which increases DNA methylation, but not Zebularine, which diminishes DNA methylation, restored polyfunctionality and boosted the number of virus-specific CD8+ T cells. These findings suggest that diminished methylation, initiated by developmental exposure to an AHR-binding chemical, contributes to durable changes in antiviral CD8+ CTL functions later in life. Thus, deleterious consequence of development exposure to environmental chemicals are not permanently fixed, opening the door for interventional strategies to improve health.

Protein Arginine Methyltransferases as Therapeutic Targets in Hematological Malignancies

Arginine methylation is a common post-translational modification affecting protein activity and the transcription of target genes when methylation occurs on histone tails. There are nine protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) in mammals, divided into subgroups depending on the methylation they form on a molecule of arginine. During the formation and maturation of the different types of blood cells, PRMTs play a central role by controlling cell differentiation at the transcriptional level. PRMT enzymatic activity is necessary for many cellular processes in hematological malignancies, such as the activation of cell cycle and proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, DNA repair processes, RNA splicing, and transcription by methylating histone tails' arginine. Chemical tools have been developed to inhibit the activity of PRMTs and have been tested in several models of hematological malignancies, including primary samples from patients, xenografts into immunodeficient mice, mouse models, and human cell lines. They show a significant effect by reducing cell viability and increasing the overall survival of mice. PRMT5 inhibitors have a strong therapeutic potential, as phase I clinical trials in hematological malignancies that use these molecules show promising results, thus, underlining PRMT inhibitors as useful therapeutic tools for cancer treatment in the future.

DLX2 Is a Potential Immune-Related Prognostic Indicator Associated with Remodeling of Tumor Microenvironment in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Integrated Bioinformatical Analysis

BACKGROUND

It is still an unmet clinical need to identify potent biomarkers for immunotherapy on patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).

METHODS

In this study, we explored the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were simultaneously correlated with four pathways (i.e. CD8+ αβT cell proliferation/differentiation/activation pathways and ferroptosis pathway) and possibly related to the remodeling of tumor microenvironment via the TCGA-LUSC dataset. Besides, four GEO datasets (GSE157009, GSE157010, GSE19188, and GSE126045) and IMvigor210 dataset were utilized for confirmation and validation.

RESULTS

The co-downregulated DEG DLX2 was selected for further analysis. Function enrichment analysis revealed that low-expression of DLX2 was closely related to various immune-related pathways like T/B/NK cell mediated immunity, interferon gamma/alpha response, and various autoimmune disease. DLX2-downregulated group was enriched in more immune-activating cells and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score. Via the Cancer Immunome Atlas (TCIA) database, lower expression of DLX2 was also found to be associated with better IPS score of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade (p < 0.001) as well as CTLA-4 combined with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade (p < 0.001). Furthermore, patients in DLX2-low group were found to have significant longer median OS than those in DLX2-high group in IMvigor210 dataset (10.8 vs 7.4 months; hazard ratio [HR]=0.74, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.57-0.96; p = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study on an integrated bioinformatical analysis implied that DLX2 could be served as a promising indicator for remodeling tumor microenvironment status and predicting ICI response of patients with LUSC.

WNT signaling and cancer stemness

Cancer stemness, defined as the self-renewal and tumor-initiation potential of cancer stem cells (CSCs), is a cancer biology property featuring activation of CSC signaling networks. Canonical WNT signaling through Frizzled and LRP5/6 receptors is transmitted to the β-catenin-TCF/LEF-dependent transcription machinery to up-regulate MYC, CCND1, LGR5, SNAI1, IFNG, CCL28, CD274 (PD-L1) and other target genes. Canonical WNT signaling causes expansion of rapidly cycling CSCs and modulates both immune surveillance and immune tolerance. In contrast, noncanonical WNT signaling through Frizzled or the ROR1/2 receptors is transmitted to phospholipase C, Rac1 and RhoA to control transcriptional outputs mediated by NFAT, AP-1 and YAP-TEAD, respectively. Noncanonical WNT signaling supports maintenance of slowly cycling, quiescent or dormant CSCs and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition via crosstalk with TGFβ (transforming growth factor-β) signaling cascades, while the TGFβ signaling network induces immune evasion. The WNT signaling network orchestrates the functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and fine-tunes stemness in human cancers, such as breast, colorectal, gastric and lung cancers. Here, WNT-related cancer stemness features, including proliferation/dormancy plasticity, epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and immune-landscape plasticity, will be discussed. Porcupine inhibitors, β-catenin protein-protein interaction inhibitors, β-catenin proteolysis targeting chimeras, ROR1 inhibitors and ROR1-targeted biologics are investigational drugs targeting WNT signaling cascades. Mechanisms of cancer plasticity regulated by the WNT signaling network are promising targets for therapeutic intervention; however, further understanding of context-dependent reprogramming trajectories might be necessary to optimize the clinical benefits of WNT-targeted monotherapy and applied combination therapy for patients with cancer.

Epigenetics: an Opportunity to Shape Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

Epigenetics connects genetic and environmental factors: it includes DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications and the regulation of chromatin accessibility by non-coding RNAs, all of which control constitutive or inducible gene transcription. This plays a key role in harnessing the transcriptional programs of both innate and adaptive immune cells due to its plasticity and environmental-driven nature, piloting myeloid and lymphoid cell fate decision with no change in their genomic sequence. In particular, epigenetic marks at the site of lineage specific transcription factors and maintenance of cell type-specific epigenetic modifications, referred to as "epigenetic memory", dictate cell differentiation, cytokine production and functional capacity following repeated antigenic exposure in memory T cells. Moreover, metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming occurring during a primary innate immune response leads to enhanced responses to secondary challenges, a phenomenon known as "trained immunity". Here we discuss how stable and dynamic epigenetic states control immune cell identity and plasticity in physiological and pathological conditions. Dissecting the regulatory circuits of cell fate determination and maintenance is of paramount importance for understanding the delicate balance between immune cell activation and tolerance, in healthy conditions and in autoimmune diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Epigenetic engineering for optimal CAR-T cell therapy

Recent advancements in cancer immunotherapy, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cell therapy and immune checkpoint therapy (ICT), have significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with several types of cancer. To broaden its applicability further and induce durable therapeutic efficacy, it is imperative to understand how antitumor T cells elicit cytotoxic functions, survive as memory T cells, or are impaired in their effector functions (exhausted) at the molecular level. T cell properties are regulated by their gene expression profiles, which are further controlled by epigenetic architectures, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. Multiple studies have elucidated specific epigenetic genes associated with T-cell phenotypic changes. Conversely, exogenous modification of these key epigenetic factors can significantly alter T cell functions by extensively altering the transcription network, which can be applied in cancer immunotherapy by improving T cell persistence or augmenting effector functions. Since CAR-T cell therapy involves a genetic engineering step during the preparation of the infusion products, it would be a feasible strategy to additionally modulate specific epigenetic genes in CAR-T cells to improve their quality. Here, we review recent studies investigating how individual epigenetic factors play a crucial role in T-cell biology. We further discuss future directions to integrate these findings for optimal cancer immunotherapy.