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Huelse JM, Bhasin SS, Jacobsen KM, Yim J, Thomas BE, Branella GM, Bakhtiari M, Chimenti ML, Baxter TA, Raikar SS, Wang X, Frye SV, Henry CJ, Earp HS, Bhasin M, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. MERTK inhibition selectively activates a DC - T-cell axis to provide anti-leukemia immunity. Leukemia 2024:10.1038/s41375-024-02408-2. [PMID: 39322710 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02408-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
TAM-family tyrosine kinases (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) are potential cancer therapeutic targets. In previous studies MERTK inhibition in the immune microenvironment was therapeutically effective in a B-cell acute leukemia (B-ALL) model. Here, we probed anti-leukemia immune mechanisms and evaluated roles for TYRO3 and AXL in the leukemia microenvironment. Host Mertk knock-out or MERTK inhibitor MRX-2843 increased CD8α+ dendritic cells (DCs) with enhanced antigen-presentation capacity in the leukemia microenvironment and inhibited leukemogenesis. High MERTK or low DC gene expression were associated with poor prognosis in pediatric ALL patients, indicating the clinical relevance of these findings. MRX-2843 increased CD8+ T-cell numbers and prevented induction of exhaustion markers, implicating a DC - T-cell axis. Indeed, combined depletion of CD8α+ DCs and CD8+ T-cells was required to abrogate anti-leukemia immunity in Mertk-/- mice. Tyro3-/- mice were also protected against B-ALL, implicating TYRO3 as an immunotherapeutic target. In contrast to Mertk-/- mice, Tyro3-/- did not increase CD8α+ DCs with enhanced antigen-presentation capacity and therapeutic activity was less dependent on DCs, indicating a different immune mechanism. Axl-/- did not impact leukemogenesis. These data demonstrate differential TAM kinase roles in the leukemia microenvironment and provide rationale for development of MERTK and/or TYRO3-targeted immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Swati S Bhasin
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Kristen M Jacobsen
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Juhye Yim
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Beena E Thomas
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Gianna M Branella
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Mojtaba Bakhtiari
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Madison L Chimenti
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Travon A Baxter
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sunil S Raikar
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Stephen V Frye
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Curtis J Henry
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - H Shelton Earp
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Manoj Bhasin
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Cancer Immunology Program, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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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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Knudsen-Clark AM, Mwangi D, Cazarin J, Morris K, Baker C, Hablitz LM, McCall MN, Kim M, Altman BJ. Circadian rhythms of macrophages are altered by the acidic pH of the tumor microenvironment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580339. [PMID: 38405770 PMCID: PMC10888792 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Macrophages are prime therapeutic targets due to their pro-tumorigenic and immunosuppressive functions in tumors, but the varying efficacy of therapeutic approaches targeting macrophages highlights our incomplete understanding of how the tumor microenvironment (TME) can influence regulation of macrophages. The circadian clock is a key internal regulator of macrophage function, but how circadian rhythms of macrophages may be influenced by the tumor microenvironment remains unknown. We found that conditions associated with the TME such as polarizing stimuli, acidic pH, and elevated lactate concentrations can each alter circadian rhythms in macrophages. Circadian rhythms were enhanced in pro-resolution macrophages but suppressed in pro-inflammatory macrophages, and acidic pH had divergent effects on circadian rhythms depending on macrophage phenotype. While cyclic AMP (cAMP) has been reported to play a role in macrophage response to acidic pH, our results indicate that pH-driven changes in circadian rhythms are not mediated solely by the cAMP signaling pathway. Remarkably, clock correlation distance analysis of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) revealed evidence of circadian disorder in TAMs. This is the first report providing evidence that circadian rhythms of macrophages are altered within the TME. Our data further suggest that heterogeneity in circadian rhythms at the population level may underlie this circadian disorder. Finally, we sought to determine how circadian regulation of macrophages impacts tumorigenesis, and found that tumor growth was suppressed when macrophages had a functional circadian clock. Our work demonstrates a novel mechanism by which the tumor microenvironment can influence macrophage biology through altering circadian rhythms, and the contribution of circadian rhythms in macrophages to suppressing tumor growth.
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Tanim K, Holtzhausen A, Thapa A, Huelse JM, Graham DK, Earp HS. MERTK Inhibition as a Targeted Novel Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7660. [PMID: 39062902 PMCID: PMC11277220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this issue honoring the contributions of Greg Lemke, the Earp and Graham lab teams discuss several threads in the discovery, action, signaling, and translational/clinical potential of MERTK, originally called c-mer, a member of the TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK (TAM) family of receptor tyrosine kinases. The 30-year history of the TAM RTK family began slowly as all three members were orphan RTKs without known ligands and/or functions when discovered by three distinct alternate molecular cloning strategies in the pre-genome sequencing era. The pace of understanding their physiologic and pathophysiologic roles has accelerated over the last decade. The activation of ligands bridging externalized phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) has placed these RTKs in a myriad of processes including neurodevelopment, cancer, and autoimmunity. The field is ripe for further advancement and this article hopefully sets the stage for further understanding and therapeutic intervention. Our review will focus on progress made through the collaborations of the Earp and Graham labs over the past 30 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.M. Tanim
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alisha Holtzhausen
- Lineburger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Aashis Thapa
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Justus M. Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (K.M.T.); (A.T.); (J.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- Lineburger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Zhong J, Xing X, Gao Y, Pei L, Lu C, Sun H, Lai Y, Du K, Xiao F, Yang Y, Wang X, Shi Y, Bai F, Zhang N. Distinct roles of TREM2 in central nervous system cancers and peripheral cancers. Cancer Cell 2024; 42:968-984.e9. [PMID: 38788719 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastomas (GBM) are incurable central nervous system (CNS) cancers characterized by substantial myeloid cell infiltration. Whether myeloid cell-directed therapeutic targets identified in peripheral non-CNS cancers are applicable to GBM requires further study. Here, we identify that the critical immunosuppressive target in peripheral cancers, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2), is immunoprotective in GBM. Genetic or pharmacological TREM2 deficiency promotes GBM progression in vivo. Single-cell and spatial sequencing reveals downregulated TREM2 in GBM-infiltrated myeloid cells. TREM2 negatively correlates with immunosuppressive myeloid and T cell exhaustion signatures in GBM. We further demonstrate that during GBM progression, CNS-enriched sphingolipids bind TREM2 on myeloid cells and elicit antitumor responses. Clinically, high TREM2 expression in myeloid cells correlates with better survival in GBM. Adeno-associated virus-mediated TREM2 overexpression impedes GBM progression and synergizes with anti-PD-1 therapy. Our results reveal distinct functions of TREM2 in CNS cancers and support organ-specific myeloid cell remodeling in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhong
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Xudong Xing
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yixin Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Lei Pei
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenfei Lu
- Department of Cell Biology, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Antibody Techniques, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Huixin Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Yanxing Lai
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Kang Du
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Feizhe Xiao
- Department of Scientific Research Section, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Centre, Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunopathology of the Ministry of Education of China, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Yu-Yue Pathology Scientific Research Center and Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 400039, China
| | - Xiuxing Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Antibody Techniques, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Centre, Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunopathology of the Ministry of Education of China, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Yu-Yue Pathology Scientific Research Center and Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing 400039, China
| | - Fan Bai
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Nu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
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Ryan AT, Kim M, Lim K. Immune Cell Migration to Cancer. Cells 2024; 13:844. [PMID: 38786066 PMCID: PMC11120175 DOI: 10.3390/cells13100844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune cell migration is required for the development of an effective and robust immune response. This elegant process is regulated by both cellular and environmental factors, with variables such as immune cell state, anatomical location, and disease state that govern differences in migration patterns. In all cases, a major factor is the expression of cell surface receptors and their cognate ligands. Rapid adaptation to environmental conditions partly depends on intrinsic cellular immune factors that affect a cell's ability to adjust to new environment. In this review, we discuss both myeloid and lymphoid cells and outline key determinants that govern immune cell migration, including molecules required for immune cell adhesion, modes of migration, chemotaxis, and specific chemokine signaling. Furthermore, we summarize tumor-specific elements that contribute to immune cell trafficking to cancer, while also exploring microenvironment factors that can alter these cellular dynamics within the tumor in both a pro and antitumor fashion. Specifically, we highlight the importance of the secretome in these later aspects. This review considers a myriad of factors that impact immune cell trajectory in cancer. We aim to highlight the immunotherapeutic targets that can be harnessed to achieve controlled immune trafficking to and within tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison T. Ryan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (A.T.R.); (M.K.)
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Minsoo Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (A.T.R.); (M.K.)
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Kihong Lim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; (A.T.R.); (M.K.)
- David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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Ghosh S, Finnemann SC, Vollrath D, Rothlin CV. In the Eyes of the Beholder-New Mertk Knockout Mouse and Re-Evaluation of Phagocytosis versus Anti-Inflammatory Functions of MERTK. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5299. [PMID: 38791338 PMCID: PMC11121519 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Greg Lemke's laboratory was one of the pioneers of research into the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Not only was Tyro3 cloned in his laboratory, but his group also extensively studied mice knocked out for individual or various combinations of the TAM RTKs Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk. Here we primarily focus on one of the paralogs-MERTK. We provide a historical perspective on rodent models of loss of Mertk function and their association with retinal degeneration and blindness. We describe later studies employing mouse genetics and the generation of newer knockout models that point out incongruencies with the inference that loss of MERTK-dependent phagocytosis is sufficient for severe, early-onset photoreceptor degeneration in mice. This discussion is meant to raise awareness with regards to the limitations of the original Mertk knockout mouse model generated using 129 derived embryonic stem cells and carrying 129 derived alleles and the role of these alleles in modifying Mertk knockout phenotypes or even displaying Mertk-independent phenotypes. We also suggest molecular approaches that can further Greg Lemke's scintillating legacy of dissecting the molecular functions of MERTK-a protein that has been described to function in phagocytosis as well as in the negative regulation of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Ghosh
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Silvia C. Finnemann
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA;
| | - Douglas Vollrath
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Carla V. Rothlin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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8
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Cieniewicz B, Oliveira E, Saxton M, Torabi D, Bhatta A, Kukutla P, Arballo A, Yang Z, Yu B, Fate M, Ning H, Corey L, Maiti A, Corey D. Therapeutic Targeting of TIM-4-L with Engineered T Cells for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1878-1888. [PMID: 38451195 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3044] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Disruption of lipid bilayer asymmetry is a common feature observed in cancer cells and offers novel routes for therapeutic targeting. We used the natural immune receptor TIM-4 to interrogate for loss of plasma membrane phospholipid polarity in primary acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) samples and evaluated the anti-leukemic activity of TIM-4-L-directed T-cell therapy in preclinical AML models. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We performed FACS analysis on 33 primary AML bone marrow specimens and correlated TIM-4-L expression frequency and intensity with molecular disease characteristics. Using Kasumi-1 and MV-4-11 AML cell lines, we further tested the anti-leukemic effects of TIM-4-L-directed engineered T cells in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We found that 86% of untreated AML blasts displayed upregulation of cell surface TIM-4-L. These observations were agnostic to AML genetic classification, as samples with mutations in TP53, ASXL1, and RUNX1 displayed TIM-4-L upregulation similar to that seen in favorable and intermediate subtypes. TIM-4-L dysregulation was also stably present in AML cell lines. To evaluate the potential of targeting upregulated TIM-4-L with adoptive T-cell therapy, we constructed TIM-4-L-directed engineered T cells, which demonstrated potent anti-leukemic effects, effectively eliminating AML cell lines with a range of endogenous TIM-4-L expression levels both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight TIM-4-L as a highly prevalent target on AML across a range of genetic classifications and novel target for T-cell-based therapy in AML. Further investigations into the role of TIM-4-L in AML pathogenesis and its potential as an anti-leukemic target for clinical development are warranted.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism
- Mice
- Animals
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Female
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Adult
- Aged
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mike Saxton
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Damoun Torabi
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Ankit Bhatta
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | | | | | - Zhuo Yang
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Bi Yu
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Maria Fate
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Hongxiu Ning
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Lawrence Corey
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Abhishek Maiti
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Daniel Corey
- CERo Therapeutics Inc., South San Francisco, California
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9
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Astuti Y, Raymant M, Quaranta V, Clarke K, Abudula M, Smith O, Bellomo G, Chandran-Gorner V, Nourse C, Halloran C, Ghaneh P, Palmer D, Jones RP, Campbell F, Pollard JW, Morton JP, Mielgo A, Schmid MC. Efferocytosis reprograms the tumor microenvironment to promote pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:774-790. [PMID: 38355776 PMCID: PMC11136665 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00731-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a highly metastatic disease and macrophages support liver metastases. Efferocytosis, or engulfment of apoptotic cells by macrophages, is an essential process in tissue homeostasis and wound healing, but its role in metastasis is less well understood. Here, we found that the colonization of the hepatic metastatic site is accompanied by low-grade tissue injury and that efferocytosis-mediated clearance of parenchymal dead cells promotes macrophage reprogramming and liver metastasis. Mechanistically, progranulin expression in macrophages is necessary for efficient efferocytosis by controlling lysosomal acidification via cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and the degradation of lysosomal cargo, resulting in LXRα/RXRα-mediated macrophage conversion and upregulation of arginase 1. Pharmacological blockade of efferocytosis or macrophage-specific genetic depletion of progranulin impairs macrophage conversion, improves CD8+ T cell functions, and reduces liver metastasis. Our findings reveal how hard-wired functions of macrophages in tissue repair contribute to liver metastasis and identify potential targets for prevention of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma liver metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliana Astuti
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Meirion Raymant
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Valeria Quaranta
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Kim Clarke
- Computational Biology Facility, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Maidinaimu Abudula
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Olivia Smith
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Gaia Bellomo
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Craig Nourse
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Christopher Halloran
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Paula Ghaneh
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Daniel Palmer
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Robert P Jones
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Fiona Campbell
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ainhoa Mielgo
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michael C Schmid
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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10
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Sweeney R, Omstead AN, Fitzpatrick JT, Zheng P, Gorbunova A, Grayhack EE, Goel A, Khan AF, Kosovec JE, Wagner PL, Jobe BA, Kelly RJ, Zaidi AH. Sitravatinib combined with PD-1 blockade enhances cytotoxic T-cell infiltration by M2 to M1 tumor macrophage repolarization in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Carcinogenesis 2024; 45:210-219. [PMID: 38019590 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgad087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Sitravatinib is a novel multi-gene tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) receptors, VEGF, PDGF and c-Kit. Currently, sitravatinib is actively being studied in clinical trials across solid tumors and other TKIs have shown efficacy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in cancer models. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor activity of sitravatinib alone and in combination with PD-1 blockade in an EAC rat model. Treatment response was evaluated by mortality, pre- and post-treatment MRI, gene expression, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Our results demonstrated adequate safety and significant tumor shrinkage in animals treated with sitravatinib, and more profoundly, sitravatinib and PD-1 inhibitor, AUNP-12 (P < 0.01). Suppression of TAM receptors resulted in increased gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, enhanced infiltration of CD8+ T cells, and M2 to M1 macrophage phenotype repolarization in the tumor microenvironment of treated animals (P < 0.01). Moreover, endpoint immunohistochemistry staining corroborated the anti-tumor activity by downregulation of Ki67 and upregulation of Caspase-3 in the treated animals. Additionally, pretreatment gene expression of TAM receptors and PD-L1 were significantly higher in major responders compared with the non-responders, in animals that received sitravatinib and AUNP-12 (P < 0.02), confirming that TAM suppression enhances the efficacy of PD-1 blockade. In conclusion, this study proposes a promising immunomodulatory strategy using a multi-gene TKI to overcome developed resistance to an ICI in EAC, establishing rationale for future clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Sweeney
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ashten N Omstead
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - John T Fitzpatrick
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ping Zheng
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anastasia Gorbunova
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Erin E Grayhack
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Arul Goel
- University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Alisha F Khan
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Patrick L Wagner
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Blair A Jobe
- Allegheny Health Network, Esophageal Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ronan J Kelly
- Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ali H Zaidi
- Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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11
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Kong D, Tian Q, Chen Z, Zheng H, Stashko MA, Yan D, Earp HS, Frye SV, DeRyckere D, Kireev D, Graham DK, Wang X. Discovery of Novel Macrocyclic MERTK/AXL Dual Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:5866-5882. [PMID: 38556760 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
MERTK and AXL are members of the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, MERTK) family of receptor tyrosine kinases that are aberrantly expressed and have been implicated as therapeutic targets in a wide variety of human tumors. Dual MERTK and AXL inhibition could provide antitumor action mediated by both direct tumor cell killing and modulation of the innate immune response in some tumors such as nonsmall cell lung cancer. We utilized our knowledge of MERTK inhibitors and a structure-based drug design approach to discover a novel class of macrocyclic dual MERTK/AXL inhibitors. The lead compound 43 had low-nanomolar activity against both MERTK and AXL and good selectivity over TYRO3 and FLT3. Its target engagement and selectivity were also confirmed by NanoBRET and cell-based MERTK and AXL phosphorylation assays. Compound 43 had excellent pharmacokinetic properties (large AUC and long half-life) and mediated antitumor activity against lung cancer cell lines, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyu Kong
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
| | - Qiang Tian
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
| | - Zhilong Chen
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
| | - Hongchao Zheng
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
| | - Michael A Stashko
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
| | - Dan Yan
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stephen V Frye
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Dmitri Kireev
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7355, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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12
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Kur IM, Weigert A. Phosphatidylserine externalization as immune checkpoint in cancer. Pflugers Arch 2024:10.1007/s00424-024-02948-7. [PMID: 38573347 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-02948-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in cancer treatment including immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, new unconventional biomarkers and targets for the detection, prognosis, and treatment of cancer are still in high demand. Tumor cells are characterized by mutations that allow their unlimited growth, program their local microenvironment to support tumor growth, and spread towards distant sites. While a major focus has been on altered tumor genomes and proteomes, crucial signaling molecules such as lipids have been underappreciated. One of these molecules is the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) that is usually found at cytosolic surfaces of cellular membranes but can be rapidly and massively shuttled to the extracellular leaflet of the plasma membrane during apoptosis to serve as a limiting factor for immune responses. These immunosuppressive interactions are exploited by tumor cells to evade the immune system. In this review, we describe mechanisms of immune regulation in tumors, discuss if PS may constitute an inhibitory immune checkpoint, and describe current and future strategies for targeting PS to reactivate the tumor-associated immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan-Maximiliano Kur
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60596, Frankfurt, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Cardiopulmonary Institute (CPI), 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
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13
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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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14
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Mohammad-Rafiei F, Negahdari S, Tahershamsi Z, Gheibihayat SM. Interface between Resolvins and Efferocytosis in Health and Disease. Cell Biochem Biophys 2024; 82:53-65. [PMID: 37794303 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-023-01187-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Acute inflammation resolution acts as a vital process for active host response, tissue support, and homeostasis maintenance, during which resolvin D (RvD) and E (RvE) as mediators derived from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids display specific and stereoselective anti-inflammations like restricting neutrophil infiltration and pro-resolving activities. On the other side of the coin, potent macrophage-mediated apoptotic cell clearance, namely efferocytosis, is essential for successful inflammation resolution. Further studies mentioned a linkage between efferocytosis and resolvins. For instance, resolvin D1 (RvD1), which is endogenously formed from docosahexaenoic acid within the inflammation resolution, thereby provoking efferocytosis. There is still limited information regarding the mechanism of action of RvD1-related efferocytosis enhancement at the molecular level. The current review article was conducted to explore recent data on how the efferocytosis process and resolvins relate to each other during the inflammation resolution in illness and health. Understanding different aspects of this connection sheds light on new curative approaches for medical conditions caused by defective efferocytosis and disrupted inflammation resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Mohammad-Rafiei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Samira Negahdari
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Tahershamsi
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Gheibihayat
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Munich, Germany.
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15
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Zhou X, Li D, Xia S, Ma X, Li R, Mu Y, Liu Z, Zhang L, Zhou Q, Zhuo W, Ding K, Lin A, Liu W, Liu X, Zhou T. RNA-based modulation of macrophage-mediated efferocytosis potentiates antitumor immunity in colorectal cancer. J Control Release 2024; 366:128-141. [PMID: 38104775 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages play pivotal roles in tumor progression and metastasis. Macrophage-mediated clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) supports inflammation resolution, contributing to immune evasion in colorectal cancers. To reverse this immunosuppressive process, we propose a readily translatable RNA therapy to selectively inhibit macrophage-mediated efferocytosis in tumor microenvironment. A clinically approved lipid nanoparticle platform (LNP) is employed to encapsulate siRNA for the phagocytic receptor MerTK (siMerTK), enabling selective MerTK inhibition in the diseased organ. Decreased MerTK expression in tumor-associated macrophages results in apoptotic cell accumulation and immune activation in tumor microenvironment, leading to suppressed tumor growth and better survival in both liver and peritoneal metastasis models of colorectal cancers. siMerTK delivery combined with PD-1 blockade further produces enhanced antimetastatic efficacy with reactivated intratumoral immune milieu. Collectively, LNP-based siMerTK delivery combined with immune checkpoint therapy may present a feasible modality for metastatic colorectal cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefei Zhou
- International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China.
| | - Dezhi Li
- Department of Oncology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
| | - Shenglong Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xixi Ma
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Center for Medical Research and Innovation in Digestive System Tumors, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Rong Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yongli Mu
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zimo Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Quan Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wei Zhuo
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kefeng Ding
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation in Digestive System Tumors, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China
| | - Aifu Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wei Liu
- International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
| | - Xiangrui Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiaxing 314100, China.
| | - Tianhua Zhou
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Center for Medical Research and Innovation in Digestive System Tumors, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China.
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16
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Widstrom NE, Andrianov GV, Heier JL, Heier C, Karanicolas J, Parker LL. Novel Substrate Prediction for the TAM Family of RTKs Using Phosphoproteomics and Structure-Based Modeling. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:117-128. [PMID: 38159292 PMCID: PMC10921923 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00549] [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] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases is implicated in multiple distinct oncogenic signaling pathways. However, to date, there are no FDA-approved small molecule inhibitors for the TAM kinases. Inhibitor design and screening rely on tools to study the kinase activity. Our goal was to address this gap by designing a set of synthetic peptide substrates for each of the TAM family members: Tyro3, Axl, and Mer. We used an in vitro phosphoproteomics workflow to determine the substrate profile of each TAM kinase and input the identified substrates into our data processing pipeline, KINATEST-ID, producing a position-specific scoring matrix for each target kinase and generating a list of candidate synthetic peptide substrates. We synthesized and characterized a set of those substrate candidates, systematically measuring their initial phosphorylation rate with each TAM kinase by LC-MS. We also used the multimer modeling function of AlphaFold2 (AF2) to predict peptide-kinase interactions at the active site for each of the novel candidate peptide sequences against each of the TAM family kinases and observed that, remarkably, every sequence for which it predicted a putative catalytically competent interaction was also demonstrated biochemically to be a substrate for one or more of the TAM kinases. This work shows that kinase substrate design can be achieved using a combination of preference motifs and structural modeling, and it provides the first demonstration of peptide-protein interaction modeling with AF2 for predicting the likelihood of constructive catalytic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E. Widstrom
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 USA
| | - Grigorii V. Andrianov
- Cancer Signaling & Microenvironment Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111 USA
| | - Jason L. Heier
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 USA
| | - Celina Heier
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 USA
| | - John Karanicolas
- Cancer Signaling & Microenvironment Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111 USA
| | - Laurie L. Parker
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 USA
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17
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Li R, Dere E, Kwong M, Fei M, Dave R, Masih S, Wang J, McNamara E, Huang H, Liang WC, Schutt L, Kamath AV, Ovacik MA. A Bispecific Modeling Framework Enables the Prediction of Efficacy, Toxicity, and Optimal Molecular Design of Bispecific Antibodies Targeting MerTK. AAPS J 2024; 26:11. [PMID: 38167740 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-023-00881-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibiting MerTK on macrophages is a promising therapeutic strategy for augmenting anti-tumor immunity. However, blocking MerTK on retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPEs) results in retinal toxicity. Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) containing an anti-MerTK therapeutic and anti-PD-L1 targeting arm were developed to reduce drug binding to MerTK on RPEs, since PD-L1 is overexpressed on macrophages but not RPEs. In this study, we present a modeling framework using in vitro receptor occupancy (RO) and pharmacokinetics (PK) data to predict efficacy, toxicity, and therapeutic index (TI) of anti-MerTK bsAbs. We first used simulations and in vitro RO data of anti-MerTK monospecific antibody (msAb) to estimate the required MerTK RO for in vivo efficacy and toxicity. Using these estimated RO thresholds, we employed our model to predict the efficacious and toxic doses for anti-MerTK bsAbs with varying affinities for MerTK. Our model predicted the highest TI for the anti-MerTK/PD-L1 bsAb with an attenuated MerTK binding arm, which was consistent with in vivo efficacy and toxicity observations. Subsequently, we used the model, in combination with sensitivity analysis and parameter scans, to suggest an optimal molecular design of anti-MerTK bsAb with the highest predicted TI in humans. Our prediction revealed that this optimized anti-MerTK bsAb should contain a MerTK therapeutic arm with relatively low affinity, along with a high affinity targeting arm that can bind to a low abundance target with slow turnover rate. Overall, these results demonstrated that our modeling framework can guide the rational design of bsAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Li
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA.
| | - Edward Dere
- Safety Assessment, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Mandy Kwong
- Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Mingjian Fei
- Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Rutwij Dave
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Shabkhaiz Masih
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Joy Wang
- Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Erin McNamara
- Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Haochu Huang
- Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Wei-Ching Liang
- Antibody Engineering, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Leah Schutt
- Safety Assessment, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Amrita V Kamath
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA
| | - Meric A Ovacik
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California, 94080, USA.
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18
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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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19
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Ubil E, Zahid KR. Structure and functions of Mer, an innate immune checkpoint. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1244170. [PMID: 37936688 PMCID: PMC10626544 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1244170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a promising therapeutic tool that promotes the elimination of cancerous cells by a patient's own immune system. However, in the clinical setting, the number of cancer patients benefitting from immunotherapy is limited. Identification and targeting of other immune subsets, such as tumor-associated macrophages, and alternative immune checkpoints, like Mer, may further limit tumor progression and therapy resistance. In this review, we highlight the key roles of macrophage Mer signaling in immune suppression. We also summarize the role of pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotypes in tumor onset and progression and how Mer structure and activation can be targeted therapeutically to alter activation state. Preclinical and clinical studies focusing on Mer kinase inhibition have demonstrated the potential of targeting this innate immune checkpoint, leading to improved anti-tumor responses and patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Ubil
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Burstyn-Cohen T, Fresia R. TAM receptors in phagocytosis: Beyond the mere internalization of particles. Immunol Rev 2023; 319:7-26. [PMID: 37596991 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13267] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK constitute the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases, activated by their ligands GAS6 and PROS1. TAMs are necessary for adult homeostasis in the immune, nervous, reproductive, skeletal, and vascular systems. Among additional cellular functions employed by TAMs, phagocytosis is central for tissue health. TAM receptors are dominant in providing phagocytes with the molecular machinery necessary to engulf diverse targets, including apoptotic cells, myelin debris, and portions of live cells in a phosphatidylserine-dependent manner. Simultaneously, TAMs drive the release of anti-inflammatory and tissue repair molecules. Disruption of the TAM-driven phagocytic pathway has detrimental consequences, resulting in autoimmunity, male infertility, blindness, and disrupted vascular integrity, and which is thought to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Although structurally and functionally redundant, the TAM receptors and ligands underlie complex signaling cascades, of which several key aspects are yet to be elucidated. We discuss similarities and differences between TAMs and other phagocytic pathways, highlight future directions and how TAMs can be harnessed therapeutically to modulate phagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Burstyn-Cohen
- The Institute for Biomedical and Oral Research, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Roberta Fresia
- The Institute for Biomedical and Oral Research, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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21
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Zhou C, Gan X, Sun S, Wang L, Zhang Y, Zhang J. Construction of an efferocytosis-related long non-coding ribonucleic acid scoring system to predict clinical outcome and immunotherapy response in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Biochem Biophys Rep 2023; 35:101540. [PMID: 37692763 PMCID: PMC10482751 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Efferocytosis suppresses antitumour immune responses by inducing the release and secretion of cytokines. Long non-coding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) have various functions in different forms of programmed cell death and in immune regulation. This study aims to explore the potential role of efferocytosis-related lncRNAs as biomarkers in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). Methods Transcriptome profiles, simple nucleotide variations and clinical data of patients with PAAD were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Co-expression algorithms identified efferocytosis-related lncRNAs. The efferocytosis-related lncRNA scoring system (ERLncSys) was established using Cox regression and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator algorithm. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curves, Cox regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and clinical parameter stratification analyses were used to evaluate ERlncSys. Moreover, ERlncSys was explored through Gene Set Variation Analysis, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. Furthermore, the TIMER platform, ESTIMATE algorithm, single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and immune checkpoint analysis were utilised to explore the predictive power of ERlncSys for the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME). Finally, a consensus clustering algorithm identified distinct molecular profiles among patients with PAAD, aiding in the identification of potential beneficiaries for immunotherapy. Results K-M, Cox regression and ROC analyses confirmed the robust prognostic efficacy of ERlncSys. Clinical stratification analysis indicated the broad applicability of ERlncSys in PAAD. Additionally, mmunological analyses indicated that ERlncSys can determine immune cell infiltration status in the TIME. Furthermore, consensus clustering analysis based on ERlncSys divided the TCGA-PAAD cohort into two clusters. Cluster 1 exhibited characteristics consistent with an immune 'hot tumour' compared to cluster 2, suggesting cluster 1 is a more suitable population for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Conclusion The established ErlncSys aids in predicting the prognosis and understanding the TIME landscape of patients with PAAD. In turn, it facilitates the identification of optimal candidates for immunotherapy. This study introduces novel insights into the potential value of efferocytosis-related lncRNAs as biomarkers in PAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaoshuang Gan
- Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Anhui Province, Suzhou, 234000, China
| | - Shandong Sun
- Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Anhui Province, Suzhou, 234000, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Anhui Province, Suzhou, 234000, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Anhui Province, Suzhou, 234000, China
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22
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Khalili S, Zeinali F, Moghadam Fard A, Taha SR, Fazlollahpour Naghibi A, Bagheri K, Shariat Zadeh M, Eslami Y, Fattah K, Asadimanesh N, Azarimatin A, Khalesi B, Almasi F, Payandeh Z. Macrophage-Based Therapeutic Strategies in Hematologic Malignancies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3722. [PMID: 37509382 PMCID: PMC10378576 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are types of immune cells, with ambivalent functions in tumor growth, which depend on the specific environment in which they reside. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a diverse population of immunosuppressive myeloid cells that play significant roles in several malignancies. TAM infiltration in malignancies has been linked to a poor prognosis and limited response to treatments, including those using checkpoint inhibitors. Understanding the precise mechanisms through which macrophages contribute to tumor growth is an active area of research as targeting these cells may offer potential therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. Numerous investigations have focused on anti-TAM-based methods that try to eliminate, rewire, or target the functional mediators released by these cells. Considering the importance of these strategies in the reversion of tumor resistance to conventional therapies and immune modulatory vaccination could be an appealing approach for the immunosuppressive targeting of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The combination of reprogramming and TAM depletion is a special feature of this approach compared to other clinical strategies. Thus, the present review aims to comprehensively overview the pleiotropic activities of TAMs and their involvement in various stages of cancer development as a potent drug target, with a focus on hematologic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Khalili
- Department of Biology Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran 1678815811, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Zeinali
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6135715794, Iran
| | - Atousa Moghadam Fard
- Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran 4188783417, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Taha
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Andarz Fazlollahpour Naghibi
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 4717641367, Iran
| | - Kimia Bagheri
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 4717641367, Iran
| | - Mahdieh Shariat Zadeh
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Yeghaneh Eslami
- Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari 4815733971, Iran
| | - Khashayar Fattah
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1985717411, Iran
| | - Naghmeh Asadimanesh
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1985717411, Iran
| | - Armin Azarimatin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Shabestar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar 5381637181, Iran
| | - Bahman Khalesi
- Department of Research and Production of Poultry Viral Vaccine, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj 3197619751, Iran
| | - Faezeh Almasi
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Lab, Department of Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology and Center of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1416634793, Iran
| | - Zahra Payandeh
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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Chen S, Saeed AFUH, Liu Q, Jiang Q, Xu H, Xiao GG, Rao L, Duo Y. Macrophages in immunoregulation and therapeutics. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:207. [PMID: 37211559 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01452-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 282] [Impact Index Per Article: 282.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages exist in various tissues, several body cavities, and around mucosal surfaces and are a vital part of the innate immune system for host defense against many pathogens and cancers. Macrophages possess binary M1/M2 macrophage polarization settings, which perform a central role in an array of immune tasks via intrinsic signal cascades and, therefore, must be precisely regulated. Many crucial questions about macrophage signaling and immune modulation are yet to be uncovered. In addition, the clinical importance of tumor-associated macrophages is becoming more widely recognized as significant progress has been made in understanding their biology. Moreover, they are an integral part of the tumor microenvironment, playing a part in the regulation of a wide variety of processes including angiogenesis, extracellular matrix transformation, cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, immunosuppression, and resistance to chemotherapeutic and checkpoint blockade immunotherapies. Herein, we discuss immune regulation in macrophage polarization and signaling, mechanical stresses and modulation, metabolic signaling pathways, mitochondrial and transcriptional, and epigenetic regulation. Furthermore, we have broadly extended the understanding of macrophages in extracellular traps and the essential roles of autophagy and aging in regulating macrophage functions. Moreover, we discussed recent advances in macrophages-mediated immune regulation of autoimmune diseases and tumorigenesis. Lastly, we discussed targeted macrophage therapy to portray prospective targets for therapeutic strategies in health and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanze Chen
- Department of Respiratory Diseases and Critic Care Unit, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Disease, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Abdullah F U H Saeed
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Quan Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital (Nanshan Hospital), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518052, China
| | - Qiong Jiang
- Department of Respiratory Diseases and Critic Care Unit, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Disease, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Haizhao Xu
- Department of Respiratory Diseases and Critic Care Unit, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Disease, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, China
- Department of Respiratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Gary Guishan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Lang Rao
- Institute of Biomedical Health Technology and Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
| | - Yanhong Duo
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Zhai X, Pu D, Wang R, Zhang J, Lin Y, Wang Y, Zhai N, Peng X, Zhou Q, Li L. Gas6/AXL pathway: immunological landscape and therapeutic potential. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1121130. [PMID: 37265798 PMCID: PMC10231434 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1121130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a disease with ecological and evolutionary unity, which seriously affects the survival and quality of human beings. Currently, many reports have suggested Gas6 plays an important role in cancer. Binding of gas6 to TAM receptors is associated with the carcinogenetic mechanisms of multiple malignancies, such as in breast cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, etc., and shortened overall survival. It is accepted that the Gas6/TAM pathway can promote the malignant transformation of various types of cancer cells. Gas6 has the highest affinity for Axl, an important member of the TAM receptor family. Knockdown of the TAM receptors Axl significantly affects cell cycle progression in tumor cells. Interestingly, Gas6 also has an essential function in the tumor microenvironment. The Gas6/AXL pathway regulates angiogenesis, immune-related molecular markers and the secretion of certain cytokines in the tumor microenvironment, and also modulates the functions of a variety of immune cells. In addition, evidence suggests that the Gas6/AXL pathway is involved in tumor therapy resistance. Recently, multiple studies have begun to explore in depth the importance of the Gas6/AXL pathway as a potential tumor therapeutic target as well as its broad promise in immunotherapy; therefore, a timely review of the characteristics of the Gas6/AXL pathway and its value in tumor treatment strategies is warranted. This comprehensive review assessed the roles of Gas6 and AXL receptors and their associated pathways in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, summarized the impact of Gas6/AXL on the tumor microenvironment, and highlighted the recent research progress on the relationship between Gas6/AXL and cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Zhai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dan Pu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rulan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiabi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Yiyun Lin
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ni Zhai
- Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit, The 987th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Baoji, Shanxi, China
| | - Xuan Peng
- Department of Pathophysiology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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25
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Kostecki KL, Iida M, Wiley AL, Kimani S, Mehall B, Tetreault K, Alexandridis R, Yu M, Hong S, Salgia R, Bruce JY, Birge RB, Harari P, Wheeler DL. Dual Axl/MerTK inhibitor INCB081776 creates a proinflammatory tumor immune microenvironment and enhances anti-PDL1 efficacy in head and neck cancer. Head Neck 2023; 45:1255-1271. [PMID: 36939040 PMCID: PMC10079616 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27340] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tyrosine kinase receptors Axl and MerTK are highly overexpressed in head and neck cancer (HNC) cells, where they are critical drivers of survival, proliferation, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. METHODS We investigated the role of Axl and MerTK in creating an immunologically "cold" tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) by targeting both receptors simultaneously with a small molecule inhibitor of Axl and MerTK (INCB081776). Effects of INCB081776 and/or anti-PDL1 on mouse oral cancer (MOC) cell growth and on the TIME were evaluated. RESULTS Targeting Axl and MerTK can reduce M2 and induce M1 macrophage polarization. In vivo, INCB081776 treatment alone or with anti-PDL1 appears to slow MOC tumor growth, increase proinflammatory immune infiltration, and decrease anti-inflammatory immune infiltration. CONCLUSIONS This data indicates that simultaneous targeting of Axl and MerTK with INCB081776, either alone or in combination with anti-PDL1, slows tumor growth and creates a proinflammatory TIME in mouse models of HNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kourtney L Kostecki
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mari Iida
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anne L Wiley
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Stanley Kimani
- Rutgers Biomedical Health and Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Bridget Mehall
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kaitlin Tetreault
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Roxana Alexandridis
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Menggang Yu
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Seungpyo Hong
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI, USA
- Yonsei Frontier Lab and Department of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Justine Y Bruce
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Raymond B Birge
- Rutgers Biomedical Health and Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Paul Harari
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Deric L Wheeler
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
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26
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Bravo DD, Shi Y, Sheu A, Liang WC, Lin W, Wu Y, Yan M, Wang J. A Real-Time Image-Based Efferocytosis Assay for the Discovery of Functionally Inhibitory Anti-MerTK Antibodies. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:1166-1176. [PMID: 36881873 PMCID: PMC10067786 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Efferocytosis is a phagocytic process by which apoptotic cells are cleared by professional and nonprofessional phagocytic cells. In tumors, efferocytosis of apoptotic cancer cells by tumor-associated macrophages prevents Ag presentation and suppresses the host immune response against the tumor. Therefore, reactivating the immune response by blockade of tumor-associated macrophage-mediated efferocytosis is an attractive strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Even though several methods have been developed to monitor efferocytosis, an automated and high-throughput quantitative assay should offer highly desirable advantages for drug discovery. In this study, we describe a real-time efferocytosis assay with an imaging system for live-cell analysis. Using this assay, we successfully discovered potent anti-MerTK Abs that block tumor-associated macrophage-mediated efferocytosis in mice. Furthermore, we used primary human and cynomolgus monkey macrophages to identify and characterize anti-MerTK Abs for potential clinical development. By studying the phagocytic activities of different types of macrophages, we demonstrated that our efferocytosis assay is robust for screening and characterization of drug candidates that inhibit unwanted efferocytosis. Moreover, our assay is also applicable to investigating the kinetics and molecular mechanisms of efferocytosis/phagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D. Bravo
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Yongchang Shi
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Allison Sheu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Wei-Ching Liang
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - WeiYu Lin
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Antibody Engineering, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Minhong Yan
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Jianyong Wang
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
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Kim DJ, Anandh S, Null JL, Przanowski P, Bhatnagar S, Kumar P, Shelton SE, Grundy EE, Chiappinelli KB, Kamm RD, Barbie DA, Dudley AC. Priming a vascular-selective cytokine response permits CD8 + T-cell entry into tumors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2122. [PMID: 37055433 PMCID: PMC10101959 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37807-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) has immunomodulatory and anti-neoplastic activity, especially when paired with cancer immunotherapies. Here we explore the immunoregulatory functions of DNMT1 in the tumor vasculature of female mice. Dnmt1 deletion in endothelial cells (ECs) impairs tumor growth while priming expression of cytokine-driven cell adhesion molecules and chemokines important for CD8+ T-cell trafficking across the vasculature; consequently, the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is enhanced. We find that the proangiogenic factor FGF2 promotes ERK-mediated DNMT1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation to repress transcription of the chemokines Cxcl9/Cxcl10 in ECs. Targeting Dnmt1 in ECs reduces proliferation but augments Th1 chemokine production and extravasation of CD8+ T-cells, suggesting DNMT1 programs immunologically anergic tumor vasculature. Our study is in good accord with preclinical observations that pharmacologically disrupting DNMT1 enhances the activity of ICB but suggests an epigenetic pathway presumed to be targeted in cancer cells is also operative in the tumor vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Joong Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Swetha Anandh
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Jamie L Null
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Piotr Przanowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Sanchita Bhatnagar
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Sarah E Shelton
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Erin E Grundy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University Cancer Center, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Katherine B Chiappinelli
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University Cancer Center, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Andrew C Dudley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
- UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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28
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Cruz Cruz J, Allison KC, Page LS, Jenkins AJ, Wang X, Earp HS, Frye SV, Graham DK, Verneris MR, Lee-Sherick AB. Inhibiting efferocytosis reverses macrophage-mediated immunosuppression in the leukemia microenvironment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1146721. [PMID: 36960055 PMCID: PMC10027704 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1146721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies show that the spleen and bone marrow can serve as leukemia microenvironments in which macrophages play a significant role in immune evasion and chemoresistance. We hypothesized that the macrophage driven tolerogenic process of efferocytosis is a major contributor to the immunosuppressive leukemia microenvironment and that this was driven by aberrant phosphatidylserine expression from cell turnover and cell membrane dysregulation. Methods Since MerTK is the prototypic efferocytosis receptor, we assessed whether the MerTK inhibitor MRX2843, which is currently in clinical trials, would reverse immune evasion and enhance immune-mediated clearance of leukemia cells. Results We found that inhibition of MerTK decreased leukemia-associated macrophage expression of M2 markers PD-L1, PD-L2, Tim-3, CD163 and Arginase-1 compared to vehicle-treated controls. Additionally, MerTK inhibition led to M1 macrophage repolarization including elevated CD86 and HLA-DR expression, and increased production of T cell activating cytokines, including IFN-β, IL-18, and IL-1β through activation of NF-κB. Collectively, this macrophage repolarization had downstream effects on T cells within the leukemia microenvironment, including decreased PD-1+Tim-3+ and LAG3+ checkpoint expression, and increased CD69+CD107a+ expression. Discussion These results demonstrate that MerTK inhibition using MRX2843 altered the leukemia microenvironment from tumor-permissive toward immune responsiveness to leukemia and culminated in improved immune-mediated clearance of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joselyn Cruz Cruz
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Kristen C. Allison
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Lauren S. Page
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Alexis J. Jenkins
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Stephen V. Frye
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michael R. Verneris
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Alisa B. Lee-Sherick
- Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
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Knudsen-Clark AM, Cazarin J, Altman BJ. Do macrophages follow the beat of circadian rhythm in TIME (Tumor Immune Microenvironment)? F1000Res 2023; 12:101. [PMID: 37469718 PMCID: PMC10352629 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.129863.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in cancer research have made clear the critical role of the immune response in clearing tumors. This breakthrough in scientific understanding was heralded by the success of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies such as anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/ programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), as well as the success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in treating liquid tumors. Thus, much effort has been made to further understand the role of the immune response in tumor progression, and how we may target it to treat cancer. Macrophages are a component of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) that can promote tumor growth both indirectly, by suppressing T cell responses necessary for tumor killing, as well as directly, through deposition of extracellular matrix and promotion of angiogenesis. Thus, understanding regulation of macrophages within the tumor microenvironment (TME) is key to targeting them for immunotherapy. However, circadian rhythms (24-hour cycles) are a fundamental aspect of macrophage biology that have yet to be investigated for their role in macrophage-mediated suppression of the anti-tumor immune response Circadian rhythms regulate macrophage-mediated immune responses through time-of-day-dependent regulation of macrophage function. A better understanding of the circadian biology of macrophages in the context of the TME may allow us to exploit synergy between existing and upcoming treatments and circadian regulation of immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia M. Knudsen-Clark
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14620, USA
| | - Juliana Cazarin
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14620, USA
| | - Brian J. Altman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 14620, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14620, USA
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Schaafsma E, Croteau W, Mohamed E, Nowak EC, Smits NC, Deng J, Sarde A, Webber CA, Rabadi D, Cheng C, Noelle R, Lines JL. VISTA Targeting of T-cell Quiescence and Myeloid Suppression Overcomes Adaptive Resistance. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:38-55. [PMID: 36260656 PMCID: PMC10544831 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
V domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) is a premier target for cancer treatment due to its broad expression in many cancer types and enhanced expression upon development of adaptive immune checkpoint resistance. In the CT26 colorectal cancer model, monotherapy of small tumors with anti-VISTA resulted in slowed tumor growth. In a combination therapy setting, large CT26 tumors showed complete adaptive resistance to anti-PD-1/CTLA-4, but inclusion of anti-VISTA led to rejection of half the tumors. Mechanisms of enhanced antitumor immunity were investigated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), multiplex image analysis, and flow cytometry of the tumor immune infiltrate. In both treatment models, anti-VISTA upregulated stimulated antigen presentation pathways and reduced myeloid-mediated suppression. Imaging revealed an anti-VISTA stimulated increase in contacts between T cells and myeloid cells, further supporting the notion of increased antigen presentation. scRNA-seq of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells revealed that anti-VISTA therapy induced T-cell pathways highly distinct from and complementary to those induced by anti-PD-1 therapy. Whereas anti-CTLA-4/PD-1 expanded progenitor exhausted CD8+ T-cell subsets, anti-VISTA promoted costimulatory genes and reduced regulators of T-cell quiescence. Notably, this is the first report of a checkpoint regulator impacting CD8+ T-cell quiescence, and the first indication that quiescence may be a target in the context of T-cell exhaustion and in cancer. This study builds a foundation for all future studies on the role of anti-VISTA in the development of antitumor immunity and provides important mechanistic insights that strongly support use of anti-VISTA to overcome the adaptive resistance seen in contemporary treatments involving PD-1 and/or CTLA-4. See related Spotlight by Wei, p. 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Schaafsma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Walburga Croteau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - ElTanbouly Mohamed
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Elizabeth C. Nowak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Nicole C. Smits
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Jie Deng
- University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Radiation Oncology
| | - Aurelien Sarde
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | | | - Dina Rabadi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Randolph Noelle
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - J. Louise Lines
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
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31
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Mishra AK, Banday S, Bharadwaj R, Ali A, Rashid R, Kulshreshtha A, Malonia SK. Macrophages as a Potential Immunotherapeutic Target in Solid Cancers. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 11:55. [PMID: 36679900 PMCID: PMC9863216 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The revolution in cancer immunotherapy over the last few decades has resulted in a paradigm shift in the clinical care of cancer. Most of the cancer immunotherapeutic regimens approved so far have relied on modulating the adaptive immune system. In recent years, strategies and approaches targeting the components of innate immunity have become widely recognized for their efficacy in targeting solid cancers. Macrophages are effector cells of the innate immune system, which can play a crucial role in the generation of anti-tumor immunity through their ability to phagocytose cancer cells and present tumor antigens to the cells of adaptive immunity. However, the macrophages that are recruited to the tumor microenvironment predominantly play pro-tumorigenic roles. Several strategies targeting pro-tumorigenic functions and harnessing the anti-tumorigenic properties of macrophages have shown promising results in preclinical studies, and a few of them have also advanced to clinical trials. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the pathobiology of TAMs and their role in the progression of solid malignancies. We discuss various mechanisms through which TAMs promote tumor progression, such as inflammation, genomic instability, tumor growth, cancer stem cell formation, angiogenesis, EMT and metastasis, tissue remodeling, and immunosuppression, etc. In addition, we also discuss potential therapeutic strategies for targeting TAMs and explore how macrophages can be used as a tool for next-generation immunotherapy for the treatment of solid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok K. Mishra
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Shahid Banday
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ravi Bharadwaj
- Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Amjad Ali
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Romana Rashid
- Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ankur Kulshreshtha
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Sunil K. Malonia
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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32
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Huang H, Jiang J, Chen R, Lin Y, Chen H, Ling Q. The role of macrophage TAM receptor family in the acute-to-chronic progression of liver disease: From friend to foe? Liver Int 2022; 42:2620-2631. [PMID: 35900248 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic macrophages, the key cellular components of the liver, emerge as essential players in liver inflammation, tissue repair and subsequent fibrosis, as well as tumorigenesis. Recently, the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family, consisting of Tyro3, Axl and MerTK, was found to be a pivotal modulator of macrophages. Activation of macrophage TAM receptor signalling promotes the efferocytosis of apoptotic cells and skews the polarization of macrophages. After briefly reviewing the mechanisms of TAM receptor signalling in macrophage polarization, we focus on their role in liver diseases from acute injury to chronic inflammation, fibrosis and then to tumorigenesis. Notably, macrophage TAM receptor signalling seems to be a two-edged sword for liver diseases. On one hand, the activation of TAM receptor signalling inhibits inflammation and facilitates tissue repair during acute liver injury. On the other hand, continuous activation of the signalling contributes to the process of chronic inflammation into fibrosis and tumorigenesis by evoking hepatic stellate cells and inhibiting anti-tumour immunity. Therefore, targeting macrophage TAM receptors and clarifying its downstream pathways will be exciting prospects for the precaution and treatment of liver diseases, particularly at different stages or statuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Huang
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingyu Jiang
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruihan Chen
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yimou Lin
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Ling
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China.,Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, China
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33
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Akalu YT, Mercau ME, Ansems M, Hughes LD, Nevin J, Alberto EJ, Liu XN, He LZ, Alvarado D, Keler T, Kong Y, Philbrick WM, Bosenberg M, Finnemann SC, Iavarone A, Lasorella A, Rothlin CV, Ghosh S. Tissue-specific modifier alleles determine Mertk loss-of-function traits. eLife 2022; 11:80530. [PMID: 35969037 PMCID: PMC9433089 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Knockout (KO) mouse models play critical roles in elucidating biological processes behind disease-associated or disease-resistant traits. As a presumed consequence of gene KO, mice display certain phenotypes. Based on insight into the molecular role of said gene in a biological process, it is inferred that the particular biological process causally underlies the trait. This approach has been crucial towards understanding the basis of pathological and/or advantageous traits associated with Mertk KO mice. Mertk KO mice suffer from severe, early-onset retinal degeneration. MERTK, expressed in retinal pigment epithelia, is a receptor tyrosine kinase with a critical role in phagocytosis of apoptotic cells or cellular debris. Therefore, early-onset, severe retinal degeneration was described to be a direct consequence of failed MERTK-mediated phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments by retinal pigment epithelia. Here, we report that the loss of Mertk alone is not sufficient for retinal degeneration. The widely used Mertk KO mouse carries multiple coincidental changes in its genome that affect the expression of a number of genes, including the Mertk paralog Tyro3. Retinal degeneration manifests only when the function of Tyro3 is concomitantly lost. Furthermore, Mertk KO mice display improved anti-tumor immunity. MERTK is expressed in macrophages. Therefore, enhanced anti-tumor immunity was inferred to result from the failure of macrophages to dispose of cancer cell corpses, resulting in a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment. The resistance against two syngeneic mouse tumor models observed in Mertk KO mice is not, however, phenocopied by the loss of Mertk alone. Neither Tyro3 nor macrophage phagocytosis by alternate genetic redundancy accounts for the absence of anti-tumor immunity. Collectively, our results indicate that context-dependent epistasis of independent modifier alleles determines Mertk KO traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yemsratch T Akalu
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Maria E Mercau
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Marleen Ansems
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Lindsey D Hughes
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - James Nevin
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Emily J Alberto
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Xinran N Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Cellular and Molecular Imaging, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Li-Zhen He
- Celldex TherapeuticsNew HavenUnited States
| | | | | | - Yong Kong
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, W. M. Keck Foundation Biotechnology Resource Laboratory, School of Medicine, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - William M Philbrick
- Center on Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale Genome Editing Center, School of Medicine, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Marcus Bosenberg
- Departments of Dermatology, Pathology and Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Silvia C Finnemann
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham UniversityBronxUnited States
| | - Antonio Iavarone
- Departments of Neurology and Pathology and Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Genetics, Columbia Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Anna Lasorella
- Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology and Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Genetics, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Carla V Rothlin
- Departments of Immunobiology and Pharmacology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Sourav Ghosh
- Departments of Neurology and Pharmacology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
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Abstract
The daily removal of billions of apoptotic cells in the human body via the process of efferocytosis is essential for homeostasis. To allow for this continuous efferocytosis, rapid phenotypic changes occur in the phagocytes enabling them to engulf and digest the apoptotic cargo. In addition, efferocytosis is actively anti-inflammatory and promotes resolution. Owing to its ubiquitous nature and the sheer volume of cell turnover, efferocytosis is a point of vulnerability. Aberrations in efferocytosis are associated with numerous inflammatory pathologies, including atherosclerosis, cancer and infections. The recent exciting discoveries defining the molecular machinery involved in efferocytosis have opened many avenues for therapeutic intervention, with several agents now in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Mehrotra
- Unit for Cell Clearance in Health and Disease, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kodi S Ravichandran
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- The Center for Cell Clearance, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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35
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Zhou L, Yi Y, Liu C, Chen Z. Constructing a novel prognostic signature of tumor driver genes for breast cancer. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:4515-4531. [PMID: 35958490 PMCID: PMC9360863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To systematically explore the function and prognostic ability of tumor-driver genes (TDGs) in breast carcinoma (BRCA). METHODS Functional enrichment analysis of BRCA differentially expressed TDGs was assesed. We used univariate Cox, lasso, and multivariate Cox regression to identify the independent prognostic TDGs of BRCA. Then we constructed a prognostic signature and verified its predictive performance. Gene set enrichment analysis of the signal pathway revealed the differences between the prognostic signature high- and low-risk groups. Finally, a nomogram related to the prognostic model was established and verified. RESULTS A total of 595 differentially expressed TDGs were identified, which are related to various molecular mechanisms of BRCA progression. We identified 8 independent prognostic TDGs for BRCA and validated their expression and prognosis with public data and clinical samples. The BRCA cohort was divided into training and validation cohorts, and prognostic signatures were constructed separately. The log-rank test showed that the survival rate of the high-risk group was significantly lower than that of the low-risk group in the prognostic signature (P<0.001); the AUC in the three cohorts were 0.805, 0.712, and 0.760, respectively; the nomogram also showed better predictive performance. Analyzing the difference between the two risk subtypes, the high-risk group is mainly enriched in angiogenesis, MTORC1, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and glycolysis, which means it is highly malignant. CONCLUSIONS The prognostic signature and nomogram was confirmed to accurately predict the prognosis of patients with BRCA and we validated the hub genes, suggesting their potential as future therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiang Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yali Yi
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Chuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine of Jiangxi Province, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhiqing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine of Jiangxi Province, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
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36
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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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Agarwal N, Azad A, Carles J, Chowdhury S, McGregor B, Merseburger AS, Oudard S, Saad F, Soares A, Benzaghou F, Kerloeguen Y, Kimura A, Mohamed N, Panneerselvam A, Wang F, Pal S. A phase III, randomized, open-label study (CONTACT-02) of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus second novel hormone therapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Future Oncol 2022; 18:1185-1198. [PMID: 35034502 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-1096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cabozantinib inhibits multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, including the TAM kinase family, and may enhance response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. One cohort of the ongoing phase Ib COSMIC-021 study (NCT03170960) evaluating cabozantinib plus the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that has progressed in soft tissue on/after enzalutamide and/or abiraterone treatment for metastatic disease has shown promising efficacy. Here, we describe the rationale and design of a phase III trial of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab versus a second novel hormone therapy (NHT) in patients who have previously received an NHT for mCRPC, metastatic castration-sensitive PC or nonmetastatic CRPC and have measurable visceral disease and/or extrapelvic adenopathy - a population with a significant unmet need for treatment options. Trial Registration Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04446117 (ClinicalTrials.gov) Registered on 24 June 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Agarwal
- Huntsman Cancer Institute (NCI-CCC), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Arun Azad
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Joan Carles
- Vall d'Hebron Institut d'Oncología, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Simon Chowdhury
- Guy's, King's & St. Thomas' Hospitals, & Sarah Cannon Research Institute, London, SE1, UK
| | - Bradley McGregor
- Lank Center of Genitourinary Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Axel S Merseburger
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Stéphane Oudard
- Department of Medical Oncology, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, University of Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Fred Saad
- Department of Urology, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal/CRCHUM, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrey Soares
- Department of Oncology, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, 05652-900, Brazil
- Department of Oncology, Centro Paulista de Oncologia/Oncoclínicas, São Paulo, 01452-000, Brazil
| | | | | | - Akiko Kimura
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Osaka, 540-8645, Japan
| | | | | | - Fong Wang
- Exelixis, Inc., Alameda, CA 94502, USA
| | - Sumanta Pal
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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38
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Sekar D, Dillmann C, Sirait-Fischer E, Fink AF, Zivkovic A, Baum N, Strack E, Klatt S, Zukunft S, Wallner S, Descot A, Olesch C, da Silva P, von Knethen A, Schmid T, Grösch S, Savai R, Ferreirós N, Fleming I, Ghosh S, Rothlin CV, Stark H, Medyouf H, Brüne B, Weigert A. Phosphatidylserine Synthase PTDSS1 Shapes the Tumor Lipidome to Maintain Tumor-Promoting Inflammation. Cancer Res 2022; 82:1617-1632. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
An altered lipidome in tumors may affect not only tumor cells themselves but also their microenvironment. In this study, a lipidomics screen reveals increased amounts of phosphatidylserine (PS), particularly ether-PS (ePS), in murine mammary tumors compared with normal tissue. PS was produced by phosphatidylserine synthase 1 (PTDSS1), and depletion of Ptdss1 from tumor cells in mice reduced ePS levels accompanied by stunted tumor growth and decreased tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) abundance. Ptdss1-deficient tumor cells exposed less PS during apoptosis, which was recognized by the PS receptor MERTK. Mammary tumors in macrophage-specific Mertk−/− mice showed similarly suppressed growth and reduced TAM infiltration. Transcriptomic profiles of TAMs from Ptdss1-knockdown tumors and Mertk−/− TAMs revealed that macrophage proliferation was reduced when the Ptdss1/Mertk pathway was targeted. Moreover, PTDSS1 expression correlated positively with TAM abundance but negatively with breast carcinoma patient survival. PTDSS1 thus may be a target to modify tumor-promoting inflammation.
Significance:
This study shows that inhibiting the production of ether-phosphatidylserine by targeting phosphatidylserine synthase PTDSS1 limits tumor-associated macrophage expansion and breast tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Sekar
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Christina Dillmann
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Evelyn Sirait-Fischer
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Annika F. Fink
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Aleksandra Zivkovic
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Natalie Baum
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Strack
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Stephan Klatt
- Institute of Vascular Signalling, Department of Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sven Zukunft
- Institute of Vascular Signalling, Department of Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stefan Wallner
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Arnaud Descot
- Georg-Speyer-Haus Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Catherine Olesch
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Priscila da Silva
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Andreas von Knethen
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tobias Schmid
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
| | - Sabine Grösch
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rajkumar Savai
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Member of the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Institute for Lung Health (ILH), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nerea Ferreirós
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ingrid Fleming
- Institute of Vascular Signalling, Department of Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sourav Ghosh
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Carla V. Rothlin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Holger Stark
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Hind Medyouf
- Georg-Speyer-Haus Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Brüne
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Weigert
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany,
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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Wang L, Zhou Y, Wu X, Ma X, Li B, Ding R, Stashko MA, Wu Z, Wang X, Li Z. The Synthesis and Initial Evaluation of MerTK Targeted PET Agents. Molecules 2022; 27:1460. [PMID: 35268561 PMCID: PMC8911752 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27051460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
MerTK (Mer tyrosine kinase), a receptor tyrosine kinase, is ectopically or aberrantly expressed in numerous human hematologic and solid malignancies. Although a variety of MerTK targeting therapies are being developed to enhance outcomes for patients with various cancers, the sensitivity of tumors to MerTK suppression may not be uniform due to the heterogeneity of solid tumors and different tumor stages. In this report, we develop a series of radiolabeled agents as potential MerTK PET (positron emission tomography) agents. In our initial in vivo evaluation, [18F]-MerTK-6 showed prominent uptake rate (4.79 ± 0.24%ID/g) in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice. The tumor to muscle ratio reached 1.86 and 3.09 at 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, respectively. In summary, [18F]-MerTK-6 is a promising PET agent for MerTK imaging and is worth further evaluation in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; (L.W.); (X.W.); (X.M.); (Z.L.)
| | - Yubai Zhou
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.Z.); (B.L.); (R.D.); (M.A.S.)
| | - Xuedan Wu
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; (L.W.); (X.W.); (X.M.); (Z.L.)
| | - Xinrui Ma
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; (L.W.); (X.W.); (X.M.); (Z.L.)
| | - Bing Li
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.Z.); (B.L.); (R.D.); (M.A.S.)
| | - Ransheng Ding
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.Z.); (B.L.); (R.D.); (M.A.S.)
| | - Michael A. Stashko
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.Z.); (B.L.); (R.D.); (M.A.S.)
| | - Zhanhong Wu
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; (L.W.); (X.W.); (X.M.); (Z.L.)
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.Z.); (B.L.); (R.D.); (M.A.S.)
| | - Zibo Li
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; (L.W.); (X.W.); (X.M.); (Z.L.)
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Werfel TA. Assessment of the Immune Response to Tumor Cell Apoptosis and Efferocytosis. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2543:45-55. [PMID: 36087258 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2553-8_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Apoptotic cells are cleared from the body principally through recognition and engulfment by neighboring phagocytes, a process known as efferocytosis. During efferocytosis, phagocytes are recruited to the site/activated by "find me" signals released from apoptotic cells, precisely identify apoptotic cells by the recognition of "eat me" signals on the apoptotic cell surface, and engulf the apoptotic cells to prevent secondary necrosis and inflammation. Thus, efferocytosis is critical for tissue homeostasis in normal physiology. However, efferocytosis of apoptotic tumor cells-performed by tumor-associated macrophages-suppresses immunity within the tumor microenvironment and limits the antitumor response. This phenomenon is further exacerbated in tumor residual disease because of the high apoptotic cell burden generated by cytotoxic therapies. Blocking efferocytosis could be a powerful approach to boost tumor immunogenicity, particularly as a combination approach with cytotoxic therapies that produce many apoptotic cells, but little is currently known about the immune response to efferocytosis. Moreover, there is a dearth of in vivo models available to study the immunologic and therapeutic consequences of blocking efferocytosis in tumor residual disease.Here, we describe a model that enables in vivo studies of tumor immunology in the aftermath of cytotoxic therapy with an emphasis on the impact of efferocytosis. Orthotopic HER2+ mammary tumors are established in immune-competent mice, followed by a single administration of lapatinib, a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor of HER2, to the mice that induces widespread, transient apoptosis in the tumor microenvironment. In the days following lapatinib treatment, agents that block efferocytosis such as BMS-777607 are administered. Tissue is collected from cohorts of mice at day 2 (after lapatinib treatment only) to assess apoptosis, day 8 (after lapatinib treatment followed by blockade of efferocytosis) to assess the immune response to apoptosis and efferocytosis, and day 28 (after 4 consecutive weeks of treatment) to assess therapeutic efficacy. This model enables mechanistic studies of tumor immunology in residual disease as well as therapeutic efficacy studies of targeted agents that disrupt efferocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Werfel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA.
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA.
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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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Zhang J, Dai Z, Yan C, Wang D, Tang D. Blocking antibody-mediated phosphatidylserine enhances cancer immunotherapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 147:3639-3651. [PMID: 34499223 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03792-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a major breakthrough in tumor therapy and has been used in monotherapy or combination therapy. However, it has been associated with poor immune tolerance in some patients or immune-related adverse events. Therefore, ideal and reliable tumor elimination strategies are urgently needed to overcome these shortcomings. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a negatively charged phospholipid, usually present in the inner lobules of eukaryotic cell membranes. Under certain physiological or pathological conditions, PS may be exposed on the outer leaflets of apoptotic cells serving as recognition signals by phagocytes and modulating the immune response. On the contrary, increased exposure of PS in the tumor microenvironment can significantly antagonize the body's anti-tumor immunity, thereby promoting tumor growth and metastasis. During radiotherapy and chemotherapy, PS-mediated immunosuppression increases the PS levels in necrotic tissue in the tumor microenvironment, further suppressing tumor immunity. PS-targeted therapy is a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy. It inhibits tumor growth and improves the anti-tumor activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of PS-targeted therapy opens up a new perspective for future cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhujiang Dai
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Cheng Yan
- Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Daorong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, People's Republic of China.
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Yan D, Earp HS, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. Targeting MERTK and AXL in EGFR Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5639. [PMID: 34830794 PMCID: PMC8616094 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
MERTK and AXL are members of the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases and are abnormally expressed in 69% and 93% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), respectively. Expression of MERTK and/or AXL provides a survival advantage for NSCLC cells and correlates with lymph node metastasis, drug resistance, and disease progression in patients with NSCLC. The TAM receptors on host tumor infiltrating cells also play important roles in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Thus, MERTK and AXL are attractive biologic targets for NSCLC treatment. Here, we will review physiologic and oncologic roles for MERTK and AXL with an emphasis on the potential to target these kinases in NSCLCs with activating EGFR mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yan
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (D.Y.); (D.D.)
| | - H. Shelton Earp
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (D.Y.); (D.D.)
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; (D.Y.); (D.D.)
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Intrinsic and Extrinsic Control of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by TAM Receptors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215448. [PMID: 34771611 PMCID: PMC8582520 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK are receptor tyrosine kinases of the TAM family, which are activated by their ligands Gas6 and Protein S. TAM receptors have large physiological implications, including the removal of dead cells, activation of immune cells, and prevention of bleeding. In the last decade, TAM receptors have been suggested to play a relevant role in liver fibrogenesis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The understanding of TAM receptor functions in tumor cells and their cellular microenvironment is of utmost importance to advances in novel therapeutic strategies that conquer chronic liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype of liver cancer, showing high mortality of patients due to limited therapeutic options at advanced stages of disease. The receptor tyrosine kinases Tyro3, Axl and MerTK—belonging to the TAM family—exert a large impact on various aspects of cancer biology. Binding of the ligands Gas6 or Protein S activates TAM receptors causing homophilic dimerization and heterophilic interactions with other receptors to modulate effector functions. In this context, TAM receptors are major regulators of anti-inflammatory responses and vessel integrity, including platelet aggregation as well as resistance to chemotherapy. In this review, we discuss the relevance of TAM receptors in the intrinsic control of HCC progression by modulating epithelial cell plasticity and by promoting metastatic traits of neoplastic hepatocytes. Depending on different etiologies of HCC, we further describe the overt role of TAM receptors in the extrinsic control of HCC progression by focusing on immune cell infiltration and fibrogenesis. Additionally, we assess TAM receptor functions in the chemoresistance against clinically used tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade in HCC progression. We finally address the question of whether inhibition of TAM receptors can be envisaged for novel therapeutic strategies in HCC.
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Bolandi SM, Pakjoo M, Beigi P, Kiani M, Allahgholipour A, Goudarzi N, Khorashad JS, Eiring AM. A Role for the Bone Marrow Microenvironment in Drug Resistance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cells 2021; 10:2833. [PMID: 34831055 PMCID: PMC8616250 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease with a poor prognosis and remarkable resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Understanding resistance mechanisms against currently available drugs helps to recognize the therapeutic obstacles. Various mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy or targeted inhibitors have been described for AML cells, including a role for the bone marrow niche in both the initiation and persistence of the disease, and in drug resistance of the leukemic stem cell (LSC) population. The BM niche supports LSC survival through direct and indirect interactions among the stromal cells, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and leukemic cells. Additionally, the BM niche mediates changes in metabolic and signal pathway activation due to the acquisition of new mutations or selection and expansion of a minor clone. This review briefly discusses the role of the BM microenvironment and metabolic pathways in resistance to therapy, as discovered through AML clinical studies or cell line and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mohammadreza Bolandi
- Department of Immunology, Razi Vaccine and Sera Research Institute, Karaj, Iran; (S.M.B.); (N.G.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran; (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Mahdi Pakjoo
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; (M.P.); (P.B.)
| | - Peyman Beigi
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; (M.P.); (P.B.)
| | - Mohammad Kiani
- Department of Pharmacology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran; (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Ali Allahgholipour
- Department of Pharmacology, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran; (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Negar Goudarzi
- Department of Immunology, Razi Vaccine and Sera Research Institute, Karaj, Iran; (S.M.B.); (N.G.)
| | - Jamshid S. Khorashad
- Centre for Haematology, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0HS, UK;
| | - Anna M. Eiring
- Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
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He Z, Zhang S. Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Their Functional Transformation in the Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment. Front Immunol 2021; 12:741305. [PMID: 34603327 PMCID: PMC8481680 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.741305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are some of the most abundant immune cells within tumors and perform a broad repertoire of functions via diverse phenotypes. On the basis of their functional differences in tumor growth, TAMs are usually categorized into two subsets of M1 and M2. It is well established that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is characterized by hypoxia along with tumor progression. TAMs adopt an M1-like pro-inflammatory phenotype at the early phases of oncogenesis and mediate immune response that inhibits tumor growth. As tumors progress, anabatic hypoxia of the TME gradually induces the M2-like functional transformation of TAMs by means of direct effects, metabolic influence, lactic acidosis, angiogenesis, remodeled stroma, and then urges them to participate in immunosuppression, angiogenesis and other tumor-supporting procedure. Therefore, thorough comprehension of internal mechanism of this TAM functional transformation in the hypoxic TME is of the essence, and might provide some novel insights in hypoxic tumor immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicong He
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuixing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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48
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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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Rothlin CV, Ghosh S. Lifting the innate immune barriers to antitumor immunity. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 8:jitc-2020-000695. [PMID: 32273348 PMCID: PMC7254113 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-000695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system evolved for adequate surveillance and killing of pathogens while minimizing host damage, such as due to chronic or exaggerated inflammation and autoimmunity. This is achieved by negative regulators and checkpoints that limit the magnitude and time course of the immune response. Tumor cells often escape immune surveillance and killing. Therefore, disrupting the brakes built into the immune system should effectively boost the anticancer immune response. The success of anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 have firmly established this proof of concept. Since the response rate of anti-CTLA4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 is still limited, there is an intense effort for the identification of new targets and development of approaches that can expand the benefits of immunotherapy to a larger patient pool. Additional T cell checkpoints are obvious targets; however, here we focus on the unusual suspects—cells that function to initiate and guide T cell activity. Innate immunity is both an obligate prerequisite for the initiation of adaptive immune responses and a requirement for the recruitment of activated T cells to the site of action. We discuss some of the molecules present in innate immune cells, including natural killer cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, endothelial cells and stromal cells, that can activate or enhance innate immune cell functions, and more importantly, the inhibitors or checkpoints present in these cells that restrain their functions. Boosting innate immunity, either by enhancing activator functions or, preferably, by blocking the inhibitors, may represent a new anticancer treatment modality or at least function as adjuvants to T cell checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla V Rothlin
- Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States .,Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
| | - Sourav Ghosh
- Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States .,Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, United States
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50
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Tajbakhsh A, Gheibi Hayat SM, Movahedpour A, Savardashtaki A, Loveless R, Barreto GE, Teng Y, Sahebkar A. The complex roles of efferocytosis in cancer development, metastasis, and treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 140:111776. [PMID: 34062411 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
When tumor cells are killed by targeted therapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, they trigger their primary tumor by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Microenvironmental interactions can also promote tumor heterogeneity and development. In this line, several immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, including macrophages, dendritic cells, regulatory T-cells, and CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, are involved in the clearance of apoptotic tumor cells through a process called efferocytosis. Although the efficiency of apoptotic tumor cell efferocytosis is positive under physiological conditions, there are controversies regarding its usefulness in treatment-induced apoptotic tumor cells (ATCs). Efferocytosis can show the limitation of cytotoxic treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Since cytotoxic treatments lead to extensive cell mortality, efferocytosis, and macrophage polarization toward an M2 phenotype, the immune response may get involved in tumor recurrence and metastasis. Tumor cells can use the anti-inflammatory effect of apoptotic tumor cell efferocytosis to induce an immunosuppressive condition that is tumor-tolerant. Since M2 polarization and efferocytosis are tumor-promoting processes, the receptors on macrophages act as potential targets for cancer therapy. Moreover, researchers have shown that efferocytosis-related molecules/pathways are potential targets for cancer therapy. These include phosphatidylserine and calreticulin, Tyro3, Axl, and Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK), receptors of tyrosine kinase, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1, annexin V, CD47, TGF-β, IL-10, and macrophage phenotype switch are combined with conventional therapy, which can be more effective in cancer treatment. Thus, we set out to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of efferocytosis in treatment-induced apoptotic tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Tajbakhsh
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Gheibi Hayat
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Ahmad Movahedpour
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Amir Savardashtaki
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Reid Loveless
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - George E Barreto
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Yong Teng
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Georgia Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Department of Medical Laboratory, Imaging and Radiologic Sciences, College of Allied Health, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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