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Miao L, Zhang J, Xu W, Qian Q, Zhang G, Yuan Q, Lv Y, Zhang H, Shen C, Wang W. Global research trends in CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors: A comprehensive visualization and bibliometric study (2012-2023). Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2338984. [PMID: 38698555 PMCID: PMC11073418 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2338984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a significant approach for the management of hematological malignancies. Over the past few years, the utilization of CAR-T cells in the investigation and treatment of solid tumors has gained momentum, thereby establishing itself as a prominent area of research. This descriptive study involved the retrieval of articles about CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Subsequently, bibliometric analysis and knowledge map analysis were conducted on these articles. The field under consideration is currently experiencing a period of swift advancement, as evidenced by the escalating number of publications in this domain each year. The United States holds an indisputable position as the foremost leader in this particular field, with the University of Pennsylvania emerging as the most active institution. The authors with the highest citation frequency and co-citation frequency are Carl H. June and Shannon L. Maude, respectively. The research hotspots in this field mainly focus on five aspects. Additionally, 10 emerging themes were identified. This study undertakes a comprehensive, systematic, and objective analysis and exploration of the field of CAR-T cell treatment for solid tumors, utilizing bibliometric methods. The findings of this study are expected to serve as a valuable reference and enlightenment for future research endeavors in this particular domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Miao
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Qian Qian
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Guochao Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Yuetao Lv
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Haiguo Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Chaoyan Shen
- Department of Ultrasound, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Jining NO.1 People’s Hospital, Jining, China
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2
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Głowacki P, Tręda C, Rieske P. Regulation of CAR transgene expression to design semiautonomous CAR-T. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200833. [PMID: 39184876 PMCID: PMC11344471 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Effective transgene expression is critical for genetically engineered cell therapy. Therefore, one of CAR-T cell therapy's critical areas of interest, both in registered products and next-generation approaches is the expression of transgenes. It turns out that various constitutive promoters used in clinical products may influence CAR-T cell antitumor effectiveness and impact the manufacturing process. Furthermore, next-generation CAR-T starts to install remotely controlled inducible promoters or even autonomous expression systems, opening new ways of priming, boosting, and increasing the safety of CAR-T. In this article, a wide range of constitutive and inducible promoters has been grouped and structured, making it possible to compare their pros and cons as well as clinical usage. Finally, logic gates based on Synthetic Notch have been elaborated, demonstrating the coupling of desired external signals with genetically engineered cellular responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Głowacki
- Department of Tumor Biology, Chair of Medical Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9 Street, 90-752 Lodz, Poland
| | - Cezary Tręda
- Department of Tumor Biology, Chair of Medical Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9 Street, 90-752 Lodz, Poland
- Department of Research and Development Personather Ltd, Inwestycyjna 7, 95-050 Konstantynow Lodzki, Poland
| | - Piotr Rieske
- Department of Tumor Biology, Chair of Medical Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Zeligowskiego 7/9 Street, 90-752 Lodz, Poland
- Department of Research and Development Personather Ltd, Inwestycyjna 7, 95-050 Konstantynow Lodzki, Poland
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3
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Xia X, Yang Z, Lu Q, Liu Z, Wang L, Du J, Li Y, Yang DH, Wu S. Reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment to improve CAR-T cell-based cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:175. [PMID: 39187850 PMCID: PMC11346058 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02079-8] [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: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In many hematologic malignancies, the adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has demonstrated notable success; nevertheless, further improvements are necessary to optimize treatment efficacy. Current CAR-T therapies are particularly discouraging for solid tumor treatment. The immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumors affects CAR-T cells, limiting the treatment's effectiveness and safety. Therefore, enhancing CAR-T cell infiltration capacity and resolving the immunosuppressive responses within the tumor microenvironment could boost the anti-tumor effect. Specific strategies include structurally altering CAR-T cells combined with targeted therapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. Overall, monitoring the tumor microenvironment and the status of CAR-T cells is beneficial in further investigating the viability of such strategies and advancing CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Xia
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Zongxin Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Qisi Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Foresea Life Insurance Guangzhou General Hospital, Guangzhou, 511300, China
| | - Zhenyun Liu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Jinwen Du
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
| | - Dong-Hua Yang
- New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
| | - Shaojie Wu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
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Monchusi B, Dube P, Takundwa MM, Kenmogne VL, Thimiri Govinda Raj DB. Advances in CRISPR-Cas systems for blood cancer. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 208:261-284. [PMID: 39266186 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems have revolutionised precision medicine by enabling personalised treatments tailored to an individual's genetic profile. Various CRISPR technologies have been developed to target specific disease-causing genes in blood cancers, and some have advanced to clinical trials. Although some studies have explored the in vivo applications of CRISPR-Cas systems, several challenges continue to impede their widespread use. Furthermore, CRISPR-Cas technology has shown promise in improving the response of immunotherapies to blood cancers. The emergence of CAR-T cell therapy has shown considerable success in the targeting and correcting of disease-causing genes in blood cancers. Despite the promising potential of CRISPR-Cas in the treatment of blood cancers, issues related to safety, ethics, and regulatory approval remain significant hurdles. This comprehensive review highlights the transformative potential of CRISPR-Cas technology to revolutionise blood cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernice Monchusi
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Phumuzile Dube
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mutsa Monica Takundwa
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Vanelle Larissa Kenmogne
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Deepak Balaji Thimiri Govinda Raj
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa.
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WANG ZHENGYI, ZHOU LIANG, WU XIAOYING. Influencing factors and solution strategies of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) cell immunotherapy. Oncol Res 2024; 32:1479-1516. [PMID: 39220130 PMCID: PMC11361912 DOI: 10.32604/or.2024.048564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cesll therapy (CAR-T) has achieved groundbreaking advancements in clinical application, ushering in a new era for innovative cancer treatment. However, the challenges associated with implementing this novel targeted cell therapy are increasingly significant. Particularly in the clinical management of solid tumors, obstacles such as the immunosuppressive effects of the tumor microenvironment, limited local tumor infiltration capability of CAR-T cells, heterogeneity of tumor targeting antigens, uncertainties surrounding CAR-T quality, control, and clinical adverse reactions have contributed to increased drug resistance and decreased compliance in tumor therapy. These factors have significantly impeded the widespread adoption and utilization of this therapeutic approach. In this paper, we comprehensively analyze recent preclinical and clinical reports on CAR-T therapy while summarizing crucial factors influencing its efficacy. Furthermore, we aim to identify existing solution strategies and explore their current research status. Through this review article, our objective is to broaden perspectives for further exploration into CAR-T therapy strategies and their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZHENGYI WANG
- Department of Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - LIANG ZHOU
- Department of Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - XIAOYING WU
- Ministry of Education and Training, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
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Locatelli F, Quintarelli C. GD2 Target Antigen and CAR T Cells: Does It Take More Than Two to Tango? Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:3361-3363. [PMID: 38869449 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-24-0486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Over the past decade, chimeric antigen receptor T cells have emerged as a breakthrough cancer therapy in selected hematologic malignancies. Translating the success of this therapy to solid tumors is challenging. In this issue, we discuss strategies potentially useful to increase the chimeric antigen receptor T-cell efficacy in this clinical indication. See related article by Fischer-Riepe et al., p. 3564.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Locatelli
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy - IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Concetta Quintarelli
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy - IRCCS, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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7
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Ghaedrahmati F, Akbari V, Seyedhosseini-Ghaheh H, Esmaeil N. Strong capacity of differentiated PD-L1 CAR-modified UCB-CD34 + cells and PD-L1 CAR-modified UCB-CD34 +-derived NK cells in killing target cells and restoration of the anti-tumor function of PD-1-high exhausted T Cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:257. [PMID: 39135206 PMCID: PMC11321137 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03871-5] [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: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Using natural killer (NK) cells to treat hematopoietic and solid tumors has great promise. Despite their availability from peripheral blood and cord blood, stem cell-derived NK cells provide an "off-the-shelf" solution. METHODS In this study, we developed two CAR-NK cells targeting PD-L1 derived from lentiviral transduction of human umbilical cord blood (UCB)-CD34+ cells and UCB-CD34+-derived NK cells. The transduction efficiencies and in vitro cytotoxic functions including degranulation, cytokine production, and cancer cell necrosis of both resultants PD-L1 CAR-NK cells were tested in vitro on two different PD-L1 low and high-expressing solid tumor cell lines. RESULTS Differentiated CAR‑modified UCB-CD34+ cells exhibited enhanced transduction efficiency. The expression of anti-PD-L1 CAR significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the cytotoxicity of differentiated CAR‑modified UCB-CD34+ cells and CAR-modified UCB-CD34+-derived NK cells against PD-L1 high-expressing tumor cell line. In addition, CAR-modified UCB-CD34+-derived NK cells significantly (P < 0.05) restored the tumor-killing ability of exhausted PD-1 high T cells. CONCLUSION Considering the more efficient transduction in stem cells and the possibility of producing CAR-NK cell products with higher yields, this approach is recommended for studies in the field of CAR-NK cells. Also, a pre-clinical study is now necessary to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these two CAR-NK cells individually and in combination with other therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhoodeh Ghaedrahmati
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 81744, Iran
| | - Vajihe Akbari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | | | - Nafiseh Esmaeil
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 81744, Iran.
- Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
- Pooya Zist-Mabna Hakim Company, Poursina Hakim Institute, Isfahan, Iran.
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8
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Nunoya JI, Imuta N, Masuda M. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Bearing Herpes Virus Entry Mediator Co-Stimulatory Signal Domain Exhibits Exhaustion-Resistant Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8662. [PMID: 39201348 PMCID: PMC11354286 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Improving chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapeutic outcomes and expanding its applicability to solid tumors requires further refinement of CAR-T cells. We previously reported that CAR-T cells bearing a herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM)-derived co-stimulatory signal domain (CSSD) (HVEM-CAR-T cells) exhibit superior functions and characteristics. Here, we conducted comparative analyses to evaluate the impact of different CSSDs on CAR-T cell exhaustion. The results indicated that HVEM-CAR-T cells had significantly lower frequencies of exhausted cells and exhibited the highest proliferation rates upon antigenic stimulation. Furthermore, proliferation inhibition by programmed cell death ligand 1 was stronger in CAR-T cells bearing CD28-derived CSSD (CD28-CAR-T cells) whereas it was weaker in HVEM-CAR-T. Additionally, HVEM-CAR-T cells maintained a low exhaustion level even after antigen-dependent proliferation and exhibited potent killing activities, suggesting that HVEM-CAR-T cells might be less prone to early exhaustion. Analysis of CAR localization on the cell surface revealed that CAR formed clusters in CD28-CAR-T cells whereas uniformly distributed in HVEM-CAR-T cells. Analysis of CD3ζ phosphorylation indicated that CAR-dependent tonic signals were strongly sustained in CD28-CAR-T cells whereas they were significantly weaker in HVEM-CAR-T cells. Collectively, these results suggest that the HVEM-derived CSSD is useful for generating CAR-T cells with exhaustion-resistant properties, which could be effective against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-ichi Nunoya
- Department of Microbiology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan (M.M.)
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9
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Xiong Y, Libby KA, Su X. The physical landscape of CAR-T synapse. Biophys J 2024; 123:2199-2210. [PMID: 37715447 PMCID: PMC11331049 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells form dynamic immunological synapses with their cancer cell targets. After a CAR-antigen engagement, the CAR-T synapse forms, matures, and finally disassembles, accompanied by substantial remodeling of cell surface proteins, lipids, and glycans. In this review, we provide perspectives for understanding protein distribution, membrane topology, and force transmission across the CAR-T synapse. We highlight the features of CAR-T synapses that differ from T cell receptor synapses, including the disorganized protein pattern, adjustable synapse width, diverse mechano-responding properties, and resulting signaling consequences. Through a range of examples, we illustrate how revealing the biophysical nature of the CAR-T synapse could guide the design of CAR-Ts with improved anti-tumor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Xiong
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kendra A Libby
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaolei Su
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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10
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Long J, Wang Y, Jiang X, Ge J, Chen M, Zheng B, Wang R, Wang M, Xu M, Ke Q, Wang J. Nanomaterials Boost CAR-T Therapy for Solid Tumors. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2304615. [PMID: 38483400 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202304615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
T cell engineering, particularly via chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modifications for enhancing tumor specificity, has shown efficacy in treating hematologic malignancies. The extension of CAR-T cell therapy to solid tumors, however, is impeded by several challenges: The absence of tumor-specific antigens, antigen heterogeneity, a complex immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and physical barriers to cell infiltration. Additionally, limitations in CAR-T cell manufacturing capacity and the high costs associated with these therapies restrict their widespread application. The integration of nanomaterials into CAR-T cell production and application offers a promising avenue to mitigate these challenges. Utilizing nanomaterials in the production of CAR-T cells can decrease product variability and lower production expenses, positively impacting the targeting and persistence of CAR-T cells in treatment and minimizing adverse effects. This review comprehensively evaluates the use of various nanomaterials in the production of CAR-T cells, genetic modification, and in vivo delivery. It discusses their underlying mechanisms and potential for clinical application, with a focus on improving specificity and safety in CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Long
- Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute & Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, 1001 Xueyuan Road, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yian Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, The Engineering Research Center of Reproduction and Translational Medicine of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Xianjie Jiang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Junshang Ge
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Mingfen Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, 362000, China
| | - Boshu Zheng
- Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences & Diagnostic Pathology Center, Fujian Medical University, No.1 Xuefu North Road University Town, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences & Diagnostic Pathology Center, Fujian Medical University, No.1 Xuefu North Road University Town, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Meifeng Wang
- Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences & Diagnostic Pathology Center, Fujian Medical University, No.1 Xuefu North Road University Town, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Meifang Xu
- Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences & Diagnostic Pathology Center, Fujian Medical University, No.1 Xuefu North Road University Town, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Qi Ke
- Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences & Diagnostic Pathology Center, Fujian Medical University, No.1 Xuefu North Road University Town, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Pathology and Institute of Oncology, The School of Basic Medical Sciences & Diagnostic Pathology Center, Fujian Medical University, No.1 Xuefu North Road University Town, Fuzhou, 350122, China
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Taylor CA, Glover M, Maher J. CAR-T cell technologies that interact with the tumour microenvironment in solid tumours. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2024; 20:849-871. [PMID: 39021098 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2024.2380894] [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: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells have emerged as a ground-breaking therapy for the treatment of hematological malignancies due to their capacity for rapid tumor-specific killing and long-lasting tumor immunity. However, the same success has not been observed in patients with solid tumors. Largely, this is due to the additional challenges imposed by safe and uniform target selection, inefficient CAR T-cell access to sites of disease and the presence of a hostile immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. AREAS COVERED Literature was reviewed on the PubMed database from the first description of a CAR by Kuwana, Kurosawa and colleagues in December 1987 through to the present day. This literature indicates that in order to tackle solid tumors, CAR T-cells can be further engineered with additional armoring strategies that facilitate trafficking to and infiltration of malignant lesions together with reversal of suppressive immune checkpoints that operate within solid tumor lesions. EXPERT OPINION In this review, we describe a number of recent advances in CAR T-cell technology that set out to combat the problems imposed by solid tumors including tumor recruitment, infiltration, immunosuppression, metabolic compromise, and hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John Maher
- Leucid Bio Ltd, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
- King's College London, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy's Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Immunology, Eastbourne Hospital, Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK
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12
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Russell GC, Hamzaoui Y, Rho D, Sutrave G, Choi JS, Missan DS, Reckard GA, Gustafson MP, Kim GB. Synthetic biology approaches for enhancing safety and specificity of CAR-T cell therapies for solid cancers. Cytotherapy 2024; 26:842-857. [PMID: 38639669 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.03.484] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
CAR-T cell therapies have been successful in treating numerous hematologic malignancies as the T cell can be engineered to target a specific antigen associated with the disease. However, translating CAR-T cell therapies for solid cancers is proving more challenging due to the lack of truly tumor-associated antigens and the high risk of off-target toxicities. To combat this, numerous synthetic biology mechanisms are being incorporated to create safer and more specific CAR-T cells that can be spatiotemporally controlled with increased precision. Here, we seek to summarize and analyze the advancements for CAR-T cell therapies with respect to clinical implementation, from the perspective of synthetic biology and immunology. This review should serve as a resource for further investigation and growth within the field of personalized cellular therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace C Russell
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Yassin Hamzaoui
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Daniel Rho
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Gaurav Sutrave
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia; Immuno & Gene Therapy Committee, International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joseph S Choi
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Dara S Missan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Gabrielle A Reckard
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Michael P Gustafson
- Immuno & Gene Therapy Committee, International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Gloria B Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
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13
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Thomas P, Paris P, Pecqueur C. Arming Vδ2 T Cells with Chimeric Antigen Receptors to Combat Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:3105-3116. [PMID: 38747974 PMCID: PMC11292201 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3495] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach in the field of cancer treatment, with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy demonstrating remarkable success. However, challenges such as tumor antigen heterogeneity, immune evasion, and the limited persistence of CAR-T cells have prompted the exploration of alternative cell types for CAR-based strategies. Gamma delta T cells, a unique subset of lymphocytes with inherent tumor recognition capabilities and versatile immune functions, have garnered increasing attention in recent years. In this review, we present how arming Vδ2-T cells might be the basis for next-generation immunotherapies against solid tumors. Following a comprehensive overview of γδ T-cell biology and innovative CAR engineering strategies, we discuss the clinical potential of Vδ2 CAR-T cells in overcoming the current limitations of immunotherapy in solid tumors. Although the applications of Vδ2 CAR-T cells in cancer research are relatively in their infancy and many challenges are yet to be identified, Vδ2 CAR-T cells represent a promising breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Thomas
- Nantes Université, CRCI2NA, INSERM, CNRS, Nantes, France
| | - Pierre Paris
- Nantes Université, CRCI2NA, INSERM, CNRS, Nantes, France
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14
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Cheng W, Kang K, Zhao A, Wu Y. Dual blockade immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in lung cancer. J Hematol Oncol 2024; 17:54. [PMID: 39068460 PMCID: PMC11283714 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-024-01581-2] [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: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies, represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have reshaped the treatment paradigm for both advanced non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Programmed death receptor-1/programmed death receptor ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) are some of the most common and promising targets in ICIs. Compared to ICI monotherapy, which occasionally demonstrates treatment resistance and limited efficacy, the dual blockade immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 operates at different stages of T cell activation with synergistically enhancing immune responses against cancer cells. This emerging dual therapy heralds a new direction for cancer immunotherapy, which, however, may increase the risk of drug-related adverse reactions while improving efficacy. Previous clinical trials have explored combination therapy strategy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 agents in lung cancer, yet its efficacy remains to be unclear with the inevitable incidence of immune-related adverse events. The recent advent of bispecific antibodies has made this sort of dual targeting more feasible, aiming to alleviate toxicity without compromising efficacy. Thus, this review highlights the role of dual blockade immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in treating lung cancer, and further elucidates its pre-clinical mechanisms and current advancements in clinical trials. Besides, we also provide novel insights into the potential combinations of dual blockade therapies with other strategies to optimize the future treatment mode for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weishi Cheng
- Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Kang
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ailin Zhao
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yijun Wu
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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15
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Spiga M, Martini E, Maffia MC, Ciceri F, Ruggiero E, Potenza A, Bonini C. Harnessing the tumor microenvironment to boost adoptive T cell therapy with engineered lymphocytes for solid tumors. Semin Immunopathol 2024; 46:8. [PMID: 39060547 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-024-01011-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) and T Cell Receptor (TCR) engineered T cells represents an innovative therapeutic approach for the treatment of hematological malignancies, yet its application for solid tumors is still suboptimal. The tumor microenvironment (TME) places several challenges to overcome for a satisfactory therapeutic effect, such as physical barriers (fibrotic capsule and stroma), and inhibitory signals impeding T cell function. Some of these obstacles can be faced by combining ACT with other anti-tumor approaches, such as chemo/radiotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors. On the other hand, cutting edge technological tools offer the opportunity to overcome and, in some cases, take advantage of TME intrinsic characteristics to boost ACT efficacy. These include: the exploitation of chemokine gradients and integrin expression for preferential T-cell homing and extravasation; metabolic changes that have direct or indirect effects on TCR-T and CAR-T cells by increasing antigen presentation and reshaping T cell phenotype; introduction of additional synthetic receptors on TCR-T and CAR-T cells with the aim of increasing T cells survival and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Spiga
- Experimental Hematology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Martini
- Experimental Hematology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Maffia
- Experimental Hematology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Ciceri
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Eliana Ruggiero
- Experimental Hematology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Potenza
- Experimental Hematology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Chiara Bonini
- Experimental Hematology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
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16
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Zhou D, Zhu X, Xiao Y. CAR-T cell combination therapies in hematologic malignancies. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:69. [PMID: 39026380 PMCID: PMC11264744 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00536-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy, a groundbreaking cancer treatment, has achieved remarkable success against hematologic malignancies. However, CAR-T monotherapy faces challenges in certain cases, including treatment tolerance and relapse rates. To overcome these challenges, researchers are investigating combining CAR-T cells with other treatments to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, this review aims to investigate the progress of research in combining CAR-T cells for hematologic malignancies. It covers the basic principles and clinical applications of CAR-T cell therapy, detailing combinations with chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted drugs, radiotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and other treatments. These combinations synergistically enhance the antitumor effects of CAR-T cells and comprehensively target tumors through different mechanisms, improving patient response and survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delian Zhou
- 1Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojian Zhu
- 1Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
| | - Yi Xiao
- 1Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
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17
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Chen Q, Sun Y, Li H. Application of CAR-T cell therapy targeting mesothelin in solid tumor treatment. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:289. [PMID: 39023820 PMCID: PMC11258118 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01159-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy is one of the most effective immunotherapies. CAR-T-cell therapy has achieved great success in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, due to the characteristics of solid malignant tumors, such as on-target effects, off-tumor toxicity, an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), and insufficient trafficking, CAR-T-cell therapy for solid tumors is still in the exploration stage. Mesothelin (MSLN) is a molecule expressed on the surface of various solid malignant tumor cells that is suitable as a target of tumor cells with high MSLN expression for CAR-T-cell therapy. This paper briefly described the development of CAR-T cell therapy and the structural features of MSLN, and especially summarized the strategies of structure optimization of MSLN-targeting CAR-T-cells and the enhancement methods of MSLN-targeting CAR-T cell anti-tumor efficacy by summarizing some preclinical experiment and clinical trials. When considering MSLN-targeting CAR-T-cell therapy as an example, this paper summarizes the efforts made by researchers in CAR-T-cell therapy for solid tumors and summarizes feasible treatment plans by integrating the existing research results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhong Chen
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Sun
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Dreyzin A, Rankin AW, Luciani K, Gavrilova T, Shah NN. Overcoming the challenges of primary resistance and relapse after CAR-T cell therapy. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2024; 20:745-763. [PMID: 38739466 PMCID: PMC11180598 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2024.2349738] [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: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION While CAR T-cell therapy has led to remarkable responses in relapsed B-cell hematologic malignancies, only 50% of patients ultimately have a complete, sustained response. Understanding the mechanisms of resistance and relapse after CAR T-cell therapy is crucial to future development and improving outcomes. AREAS COVERED We review reasons for both primary resistance and relapse after CAR T-cell therapies. Reasons for primary failure include CAR T-cell manufacturing problems, suboptimal fitness of autologous T-cells themselves, and intrinsic features of the underlying cancer and tumor microenvironment. Relapse after initial response to CAR T-cell therapy may be antigen-positive, due to CAR T-cell exhaustion or limited persistence, or antigen-negative, due to antigen-modulation on the target cells. Finally, we discuss ongoing efforts to overcome resistance to CAR T-cell therapy with enhanced CAR constructs, manufacturing methods, alternate cell types, combinatorial strategies, and optimization of both pre-infusion conditioning regimens and post-infusion consolidative strategies. EXPERT OPINION There is a continued need for novel approaches to CAR T-cell therapy for both hematologic and solid malignancies to obtain sustained remissions. Opportunities for improvement include development of new targets, optimally combining existing CAR T-cell therapies, and defining the role for adjunctive immune modulators and stem cell transplant in enhancing long-term survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Dreyzin
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Alexander W Rankin
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katia Luciani
- School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | | | - Nirali N Shah
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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19
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Rezvan A, Romain G, Fathi M, Heeke D, Martinez-Paniagua M, An X, Bandey IN, Montalvo MJ, Adolacion JRT, Saeedi A, Sadeghi F, Fousek K, Puebla-Osorio N, Cooper LJN, Bernatchez C, Singh H, Ahmed N, Mattie M, Bot A, Neelapu S, Varadarajan N. Identification of a clinically efficacious CAR T cell subset in diffuse large B cell lymphoma by dynamic multidimensional single-cell profiling. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:1010-1023. [PMID: 38750245 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00768-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells used for the treatment of B cell malignancies can identify T cell subsets with superior clinical activity. Here, using infusion products of individuals with large B cell lymphoma, we integrated functional profiling using timelapse imaging microscopy in nanowell grids with subcellular profiling and single-cell RNA sequencing to identify a signature of multifunctional CD8+ T cells (CD8-fit T cells). CD8-fit T cells are capable of migration and serial killing and harbor balanced mitochondrial and lysosomal volumes. Using independent datasets, we validate that CD8-fit T cells (1) are present premanufacture and are associated with clinical responses in individuals treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel, (2) longitudinally persist in individuals after treatment with CAR T cells and (3) are tumor migrating cytolytic cells capable of intratumoral expansion in solid tumors. Our results demonstrate the power of multimodal integration of single-cell functional assessments for the discovery and application of CD8-fit T cells as a T cell subset with optimal fitness in cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Rezvan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gabrielle Romain
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | - Xingyue An
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Irfan N Bandey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Melisa J Montalvo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jay R T Adolacion
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Arash Saeedi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fatemeh Sadeghi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kristen Fousek
- Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nahum Puebla-Osorio
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Chantale Bernatchez
- Department of Biologics Development, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Harjeet Singh
- Divsion of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nabil Ahmed
- Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mike Mattie
- Kite, a Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Adrian Bot
- Kite, a Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Sattva Neelapu
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Navin Varadarajan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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20
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Zhou Z, Wang J, Wang J, Yang S, Wang R, Zhang G, Li Z, Shi R, Wang Z, Lu Q. Deciphering the tumor immune microenvironment from a multidimensional omics perspective: insight into next-generation CAR-T cell immunotherapy and beyond. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:131. [PMID: 38918817 PMCID: PMC11201788 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02047-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) consists of intra-tumor immunological components and plays a significant role in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and response to therapy. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy has revolutionized the cancer treatment paradigm. Although CAR-T cell immunotherapy has emerged as a successful treatment for hematologic malignancies, it remains a conundrum for solid tumors. The heterogeneity of TIME is responsible for poor outcomes in CAR-T cell immunotherapy against solid tumors. The advancement of highly sophisticated technology enhances our exploration in TIME from a multi-omics perspective. In the era of machine learning, multi-omics studies could reveal the characteristics of TIME and its immune resistance mechanism. Therefore, the clinical efficacy of CAR-T cell immunotherapy in solid tumors could be further improved with strategies that target unfavorable conditions in TIME. Herein, this review seeks to investigate the factors influencing TIME formation and propose strategies for improving the effectiveness of CAR-T cell immunotherapy through a multi-omics perspective, with the ultimate goal of developing personalized therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaokai Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
- Department of Nephrology, Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PekingBeijing, 100730, China
| | - Jiaojiao Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Shuai Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Ruizhi Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Ge Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Zhengrui Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Run Shi
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhan Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Qiong Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
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21
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Veliz K, Shen F, Shestova O, Shestov M, Shestov A, Sleiman S, Hansen T, O’Connor RS, Gill S. Deletion of CD38 enhances CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cell function. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200819. [PMID: 38912091 PMCID: PMC11193011 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Cell surface molecules transiently upregulated on activated T cells can play a counter-regulatory role by inhibiting T cell function. Deletion or blockade of such immune checkpoint receptors has been investigated to improve the function of engineered immune effector cells. CD38 is upregulated on activated T cells, and although there have been studies showing that CD38 can play an inhibitory role in T cells, how it does so has not fully been elucidated. In comparison with molecules such as PD1, CTLA4, LAG3, and TIM3, we found that CD38 displays more sustained and intense expression following acute activation. After deleting CD38 from human chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, we showed relative resistance to exhaustion in vitro and improved anti-tumor function in vivo. CD38 is a multifunctional ectoenzyme with hydrolase and cyclase activities. Reintroduction of CD38 mutants into T cells lacking CD38 provided further evidence supporting the understanding that CD38 plays a crucial role in producing the immunosuppressive metabolite adenosine and utilizing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in human T cells. Taken together, these results highlight a role for CD38 as an immunometabolic checkpoint in T cells and lead us to propose CD38 deletion as an additional avenue for boosting CAR T cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Veliz
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Feng Shen
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Olga Shestova
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maksim Shestov
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexander Shestov
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sara Sleiman
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tyler Hansen
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Roddy S. O’Connor
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Saar Gill
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cell Therapy and Transplant Program, Division of Hematology-Oncology and Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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22
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Bell HN, Zou W. Beyond the Barrier: Unraveling the Mechanisms of Immunotherapy Resistance. Annu Rev Immunol 2024; 42:521-550. [PMID: 38382538 PMCID: PMC11213679 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-immunol-101819-024752] [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: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) induces a remarkable and durable response in a subset of cancer patients. However, most patients exhibit either primary or acquired resistance to ICB. This resistance arises from a complex interplay of diverse dynamic mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment (TME). These mechanisms include genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic alterations that prevent T cell trafficking to the tumor site, induce immune cell dysfunction, interfere with antigen presentation, drive heightened expression of coinhibitory molecules, and promote tumor survival after immune attack. The TME worsens ICB resistance through the formation of immunosuppressive networks via immune inhibition, regulatory metabolites, and abnormal resource consumption. Finally, patient lifestyle factors, including obesity and microbiome composition, influence ICB resistance. Understanding the heterogeneity of cellular, molecular, and environmental factors contributing to ICB resistance is crucial to develop targeted therapeutic interventions that enhance the clinical response. This comprehensive overview highlights key mechanisms of ICB resistance that may be clinically translatable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah N Bell
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Medical School, Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Graduate Programs in Cancer Biology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; ,
| | - Weiping Zou
- Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Medical School, Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; ,
- Graduate Programs in Cancer Biology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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23
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Zhou D, Zhu X, Xiao Y. Advances in research on factors affecting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell efficacy. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7375. [PMID: 38864474 PMCID: PMC11167615 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7375] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is becoming an effective technique for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies. After analyzing patients with tumor progression and sustained remission after CAR-T cell therapy, many factors were found to be associated with the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. This paper reviews the factors affecting the effect of CAR-T such as tumor characteristics, tumor microenvironment and immune function of patients, CAR-T cell structure, construction method and in vivo expansion values, lymphodepletion chemotherapy, and previous treatment, and provides a preliminary outlook on the corresponding therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delian Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Xiaojian Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubeiChina
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24
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Wang L, Zhang L, Dunmall LC, Wang YY, Fan Z, Cheng Z, Wang Y. The dilemmas and possible solutions for CAR-T cell therapy application in solid tumors. Cancer Lett 2024; 591:216871. [PMID: 38604310 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216871] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, as an adoptive immunotherapy, is playing an increasingly important role in the treatment of malignant tumors. CAR-T cells are referred to as "living drugs" as they not only target tumor cells directly, but also induce long-term immune memory that has the potential to provide long-lasting protection. CD19.CAR-T cells have achieved complete response rates of over 90 % for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and over 60 % for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, the response rate of CAR-T cells in the treatment of solid tumors remains extremely low and the side effects potentially severe. In this review, we discuss the limitations that the solid tumor microenvironment poses for CAR-T application and the solutions that are being developed to address these limitations, in the hope that in the near future, CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors can attain the same success rates as are now being seen clinically for hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Wang
- Department of Oncology, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China; National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, Sino British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lufang Zhang
- National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, Sino British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Louisa Chard Dunmall
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers & Biotherapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yang Yang Wang
- Department of General Pediatrics, Newham General Hospital, E13 8SL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zaiwen Fan
- Department of Oncology, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenguo Cheng
- National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, Sino British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yaohe Wang
- National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, Sino British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China; Centre for Cancer Biomarkers & Biotherapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
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25
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Butterfield LH, Najjar YG. Immunotherapy combination approaches: mechanisms, biomarkers and clinical observations. Nat Rev Immunol 2024; 24:399-416. [PMID: 38057451 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00973-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The approval of the first immune checkpoint inhibitors provided a paradigm shift for the treatment of malignancies across a broad range of indications. Whereas initially, single-agent immune checkpoint inhibition was used, increasing numbers of patients are now treated with combination immune checkpoint blockade, where non-redundant mechanisms of action of the individual agents generally lead to higher response rates. Furthermore, immune checkpoint therapy has been combined with various other therapeutic modalities, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other immunotherapeutics such as vaccines, adoptive cellular therapies, cytokines and others, in an effort to maximize clinical efficacy. Currently, a large number of clinical trials test combination therapies with an immune checkpoint inhibitor as a backbone. However, proceeding without inclusion of broad, if initially exploratory, biomarker investigations may ultimately slow progress, as so far, few combinations have yielded clinical successes based on clinical data alone. Here, we present the rationale for combination therapies and discuss clinical data from clinical trials across the immuno-oncology spectrum. Moreover, we discuss the evolution of biomarker approaches and highlight the potential new directions that comprehensive biomarker studies can yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa H Butterfield
- University of California San Francisco, Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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26
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Song P, Zhang Q, Xu Z, Shi Y, Jing R, Luo D. CRISPR/Cas-based CAR-T cells: production and application. Biomark Res 2024; 12:54. [PMID: 38816881 PMCID: PMC11140991 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00602-z] [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: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment approach for cancer, autoimmune disease, and heart disease. The integration of CAR into T cells is typically facilitated by retroviral or lentiviral vectors. However, the random insertion of CARs can lead to issues like clonal expansion, oncogenic transformation, variegated transgene expression, and transcriptional silencing. The advent of precise gene editing technology, like Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), allows for controlled and precise genome modification, facilitating the translation of CAR-T research to the clinical applications. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the application of CRISPR gene editing techniques in the context of precise deletion and insertion methodologies, with a specific focus on their potential for enhancing the development and utilization of CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Song
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Shangcheng district, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Qiqi Zhang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Yueli Shi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Ruirui Jing
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dingcun Luo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Shangcheng district, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, China.
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Damiani D, Tiribelli M. CAR-T Cells in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Where Do We Stand? Biomedicines 2024; 12:1194. [PMID: 38927401 PMCID: PMC11200794 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061194] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances, the prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unsatisfactory due to disease recurrence and the development of resistance to both conventional and novel therapies. Engineered T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) on their cellular surface represent one of the most promising anticancer agents. CAR-T cells are increasingly used in patients with B cell malignancies, with remarkable clinical results despite some immune-related toxicities. However, at present, the role of CAR-T cells in myeloid neoplasms, including AML, is extremely limited, as specific molecular targets for immune cells are generally lacking on AML blasts. Besides the paucity of dispensable targets, as myeloid antigens are often co-expressed on normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with potentially intolerable myeloablation, the AML microenvironment is hostile to T cell proliferation due to inhibitory soluble factors. In addition, the rapidly progressive nature of the disease further complicates the use of CAR-T in AML. This review discusses the current state of CAR-T cell therapy in AML, including the still scanty clinical evidence and the potential approaches to overcome its limitations, including genetic modifications and combinatorial strategies, to make CAR-T cell therapy an effective option for AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Damiani
- Division of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital, 33100 Udine, Italy;
- Department of Medicine (DMED), University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Mario Tiribelli
- Division of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital, 33100 Udine, Italy;
- Department of Medicine (DMED), University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
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28
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Zhang G, Wang Y, Lu S, Ding F, Wang X, Zhu C, Wang Y, Wang K. Molecular understanding and clinical outcomes of CAR T cell therapy in the treatment of urological tumors. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:359. [PMID: 38789450 PMCID: PMC11126652 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06734-2] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor engineered T (CAR T) cell therapy has developed rapidly in recent years, leading to profound developments in oncology, especially for hematologic malignancies. However, given the pressure of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, antigen escape, and diverse other factors, its application in solid tumors is less developed. Urinary system tumors are relatively common, accounting for approximately 24% of all new cancers in the United States. CAR T cells have great potential for urinary system tumors. This review summarizes the latest developments of CAR T cell therapy in urinary system tumors, including kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and prostate cancer, and also outlines the various CAR T cell generations and their pathways and targets that have been developed thus far. Finally, the current advantages, problems, and side effects of CAR T cell therapy are discussed in depth, and potential future developments are proposed in view of current shortcomings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gong Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Shiyang Lu
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Fengzhu Ding
- Department of Nursing, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Xia Wang
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Chunming Zhu
- Department of Family Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
| | - Yibing Wang
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
| | - Kefeng Wang
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
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29
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Bandara V, Niktaras VM, Willett VJ, Chapman H, Lokman NA, Macpherson AM, Napoli S, Gundsambuu B, Foeng J, Sadlon TJ, Coombs J, McColl SR, Barry SC, Oehler MK, Ricciardelli C. Engineered CAR-T cells targeting the non-functional P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) receptor as a novel treatment for ovarian cancer. Clin Transl Immunology 2024; 13:e1512. [PMID: 38800555 PMCID: PMC11116765 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1512] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Recent studies have identified expression of the non-functional P2X7 (nfP2X7) receptor on various malignant cells including ovarian cancer, but not on normal cells, which makes it a promising tumour-associated antigen candidate for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell immunotherapies. In this study, we assessed the cytotoxic effects of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells on ovarian cancer using in vitro and in vivo models. Methods We evaluated the effects of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells on ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV-3, OVCAR3, OVCAR5), normal peritoneal cells (LP-9) and primary serous ovarian cancer cells derived from patient ascites in vitro using monolayer and 3D spheroid assays. We also evaluated the effects of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells on patient-derived tissue explants, which recapitulate an intact tumour microenvironment. In addition, we investigated the effect of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells in vivo using the OVCAR-3 xenograft model in NOD-scid IL2Rγnull (NSG) mice. Results Our study found that nfP2X7-CAR-T cells were cytotoxic and significantly inhibited survival of OVCAR3, OVCAR5 and primary serous ovarian cancer cells compared with un-transduced CD3+ T cells in vitro. However, no significant effects of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells were observed for SKOV3 or normal peritoneal cells (LP-9) cells with low P2X7 receptor expression. Treatment with nfP2X7-CAR-T cells increased apoptosis compared with un-transduced T cells in patient-derived explants and correlated with CD3 positivity. Treatment with nfP2X7-CAR-T cells significantly reduced OVCAR3 tumour burden in mice compared with un-transduced CD3 cells for 7-8 weeks. Conclusion This study demonstrates that nfP2X7-CAR-T cells have great potential to be developed as a novel immunotherapy for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bandara
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Victoria M Niktaras
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Vasiliki J Willett
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Hayley Chapman
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Noor A Lokman
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Anne M Macpherson
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Silvana Napoli
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Batjargal Gundsambuu
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Jade Foeng
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Timothy J Sadlon
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Justin Coombs
- Carina Biotech, Level 2 Innovation & Collaboration CentreAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Shaun R McColl
- Chemokine Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Biomedical Science, School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
- Carina Biotech, Level 2 Innovation & Collaboration CentreAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Simon C Barry
- Molecular Immunology, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Martin K Oehler
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
- Department of Gynaecological OncologyRoyal Adelaide HospitalAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Carmela Ricciardelli
- Reproductive Cancer Research Group, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
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30
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Lin H, Li C, Zhang W, Wu B, Wang Y, Wang S, Wang D, Li X, Huang H. Synthetic Cells and Molecules in Cellular Immunotherapy. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:2833-2859. [PMID: 38904025 PMCID: PMC11186374 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.94346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapy has emerged as an exciting strategy for cancer treatment, as it aims to enhance the body's immune response to tumor cells by engineering immune cells and designing synthetic molecules from scratch. Because of the cytotoxic nature, abundance in peripheral blood, and maturation of genetic engineering techniques, T cells have become the most commonly engineered immune cells to date. Represented by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, T cell-based immunotherapy has revolutionized the clinical treatment of hematological malignancies. However, serious side effects and limited efficacy in solid tumors have hindered the clinical application of cellular immunotherapy. To address these limitations, various innovative strategies regarding synthetic cells and molecules have been developed. On one hand, some cytotoxic immune cells other than T cells have been engineered to explore the potential of targeted elimination of tumor cells, while some adjuvant cells have also been engineered to enhance the therapeutic effect. On the other hand, diverse synthetic cellular components and molecules are added to engineered immune cells to regulate their functions, promoting cytotoxic activity and restricting side effects. Moreover, novel bioactive materials such as hydrogels facilitating the delivery of therapeutic immune cells have also been applied to improve the efficacy of cellular immunotherapy. This review summarizes the innovative strategies of synthetic cells and molecules currently available in cellular immunotherapies, discusses the limitations, and provides insights into the next generation of cellular immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haikun Lin
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Chentao Li
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanying Zhang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - Boxiang Wu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - Shimin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongrui Wang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - Xia Li
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
- Zhejiang Province Engineering Research Center for Stem Cell and Immunity Therapy, Haining, China
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Satapathy BP, Sheoran P, Yadav R, Chettri D, Sonowal D, Dash CP, Dhaka P, Uttam V, Yadav R, Jain M, Jain A. The synergistic immunotherapeutic impact of engineered CAR-T cells with PD-1 blockade in lymphomas and solid tumors: a systematic review. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1389971. [PMID: 38799440 PMCID: PMC11116574 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1389971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor-T Cell (CAR-T) and immune checkpoint inhibitors like programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockers are showing promising results for numerous cancer patients. However, significant advancements are required before CAR-T therapies become readily available as off-the-shelf treatments, particularly for solid tumors and lymphomas. In this review, we have systematically analyzed the combination therapy involving engineered CAR-T cells and anti PD-1 agents. This approach aims at overcoming the limitations of current treatments and offers potential advantages such as enhanced tumor inhibition, alleviated T-cell exhaustion, heightened T-cell activation, and minimized toxicity. The integration of CAR-T therapy, which targets tumor-associated antigens, with PD-1 blockade augments T-cell function and mitigates immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment. To assess the impact of combination therapy on various tumors and lymphomas, we categorized them based on six major tumor-associated antigens: mesothelin, disialoganglioside GD-2, CD-19, CD-22, CD-133, and CD-30, which are present in different tumor types. We evaluated the efficacy, complete and partial responses, and progression-free survival in both pre-clinical and clinical models. Additionally, we discussed potential implications, including the feasibility of combination immunotherapies, emphasizing the importance of ongoing research to optimize treatment strategies and improve outcomes for cancer patients. Overall, we believe combining CAR-T therapy with PD-1 blockade holds promise for the next generation of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibhu Prasad Satapathy
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Pooja Sheoran
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Rohit Yadav
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Dewan Chettri
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Dhruba Sonowal
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Chinmayee Priyadarsini Dash
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Prachi Dhaka
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Vivek Uttam
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Ritu Yadav
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Manju Jain
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Aklank Jain
- Department of Zoology, Non-Coding RNA and Cancer Biology Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
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Huang Y, Qin Y, He Y, Qiu D, Zheng Y, Wei J, Zhang L, Yang DH, Li Y. Advances in molecular targeted drugs in combination with CAR-T cell therapy for hematologic malignancies. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 74:101082. [PMID: 38569225 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101082] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Molecular targeted drugs and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy represent specific biological treatments that have significantly improved the efficacy of treating hematologic malignancies. However, they face challenges such as drug resistance and recurrence after treatment. Combining molecular targeted drugs and CAR-T cells could regulate immunity, improve tumor microenvironment (TME), promote cell apoptosis, and enhance sensitivity to tumor cell killing. This approach might provide a dual coordinated attack on cancer cells, effectively eliminating minimal residual disease and overcoming therapy resistance. Moreover, molecular targeted drugs can directly or indirectly enhance the anti-tumor effect of CAR-T cells by inducing tumor target antigen expression, reversing CAR-T cell exhaustion, and reducing CAR-T cell associated toxic side effects. Therefore, combining molecular targeted drugs with CAR-T cells is a promising and novel tactic for treating hematologic malignancies. In this review article, we focus on analyzing the mechanism of therapy resistance and its reversal of CAR-T cell therapy resistance, as well as the synergistic mechanism, safety, and future challenges in CAR-T cell therapy in combination with molecular targeted drugs. We aim to explore the benefits of this combination therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies and provide a rationale for subsequent clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxian Huang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yinjie Qin
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingzhi He
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Dezhi Qiu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Yeqin Zheng
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiayue Wei
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Lenghe Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Dong-Hua Yang
- New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mineola, NY, USA.
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China.
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33
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Lew-Derivry L, Lamrani L, Alcantara M, Alanio C. [Optimizing efficacy and security of CAR-T cells, and immune monitoring]. Med Sci (Paris) 2024; 40:445-453. [PMID: 38819280 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2024058] [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: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune system plays a critical role in the control and eradication of tumors. A better understanding of the anti-tumor immune mechanisms over the last decade has led to the development of immunotherapies, including cellular therapies such as those using CAR-T cells. These therapies have been remarkably effective in hematological malignancies. However, their application to solid tumors requires some optimization. Many efforts are being made in this regard, both to increase the efficacy of CAR-T cells, and to make them more secure. For the former goal, there is a need for the identification of new targets, better activation strategies, or arming T cells in a way that makes them able to overcome intra-tumoral barriers. For the latter goal, dose adjustment, locoregional administration or use of suicide genes are currently investigated as ways to mitigate the risks of this therapy. Together, these adjustments will permit larger applicability of CAR-T cells, in anti-tumor immunity, but also in the context of auto-immune diseases or fibrolytic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucille Lew-Derivry
- AP-HP, service d'oncologie et d'hématologie pédiatrique, Hôpital A. Trousseau, Paris, France - Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunité et cancer, Paris, France - Laboratoire d'immunologie clinique et d'immunomonitoring, Institut Curie, Paris, France - CellAction, Institut Curie, Suresnes, France
| | - Lamia Lamrani
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunité et cancer, Paris, France - Laboratoire d'immunologie clinique et d'immunomonitoring, Institut Curie, Paris, France - CellAction, Institut Curie, Suresnes, France
| | | | - Cécile Alanio
- Institut Curie, PSL University, Inserm U932, Immunité et cancer, Paris, France - Laboratoire d'immunologie clinique et d'immunomonitoring, Institut Curie, Paris, France - CellAction, Institut Curie, Suresnes, France
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34
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Andreu-Saumell I, Rodriguez-Garcia A, Mühlgrabner V, Gimenez-Alejandre M, Marzal B, Castellsagué J, Brasó-Maristany F, Calderon H, Angelats L, Colell S, Nuding M, Soria-Castellano M, Barbao P, Prat A, Urbano-Ispizua A, Huppa JB, Guedan S. CAR affinity modulates the sensitivity of CAR-T cells to PD-1/PD-L1-mediated inhibition. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3552. [PMID: 38670972 PMCID: PMC11053011 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47799-z] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy for solid tumors faces significant hurdles, including T-cell inhibition mediated by the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. The effects of disrupting this pathway on T-cells are being actively explored and controversial outcomes have been reported. Here, we hypothesize that CAR-antigen affinity may be a key factor modulating T-cell susceptibility towards the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. We systematically interrogate CAR-T cells targeting HER2 with either low (LA) or high affinity (HA) in various preclinical models. Our results reveal an increased sensitivity of LA CAR-T cells to PD-L1-mediated inhibition when compared to their HA counterparts by using in vitro models of tumor cell lines and supported lipid bilayers modified to display varying PD-L1 densities. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of PD-1 enhances LA CAR-T cell cytokine secretion and polyfunctionality in vitro and antitumor effect in vivo and results in the downregulation of gene signatures related to T-cell exhaustion. By contrast, HA CAR-T cell features remain unaffected following PD-1 KO. This behavior holds true for CD28 and ICOS but not 4-1BB co-stimulated CAR-T cells, which are less sensitive to PD-L1 inhibition albeit targeting the antigen with LA. Our findings may inform CAR-T therapies involving disruption of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway tailored in particular for effective treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Andreu-Saumell
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Rodriguez-Garcia
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Vanessa Mühlgrabner
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marta Gimenez-Alejandre
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Marzal
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Castellsagué
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fara Brasó-Maristany
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hugo Calderon
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Angelats
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salut Colell
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mara Nuding
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Soria-Castellano
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Barbao
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleix Prat
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Cancer and Blood Diseases, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alvaro Urbano-Ispizua
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Johannes B Huppa
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonia Guedan
- Oncology and Hematology Department, Fundació Clínic Recerca Biomédica- IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
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Yuan G, Ye M, Zhang Y, Zeng X. Challenges and strategies in relation to effective CAR-T cell immunotherapy for solid tumors. Med Oncol 2024; 41:126. [PMID: 38652178 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02310-y] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, but its application to solid tumors is limited. CAR-T cells have poor incapability of entering, surviving, proliferating, and finally exerting function in the tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the main strategies related to enhancing the infiltration, efficacy, antigen recognition, and production of CAR-T in solid tumors. Additional applications of CAR-γδ T and macrophages are also discussed. We believe CAR-T will be a milestone in treating solid tumors once these problems are solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangxun Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Mengke Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yixi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| | - Xun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
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36
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Stock S, Fertig L, Gottschlich A, Dörr J, Märkl F, Majed L, Menkhoff VD, Grünmeier R, Rejeski K, Cordas Dos Santos DM, Theurich S, von Bergwelt-Baildon M, Endres S, Subklewe M, Kobold S. Comparative performance of scFv-based anti-BCMA CAR formats for improved T cell therapy in multiple myeloma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:100. [PMID: 38630291 PMCID: PMC11024081 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-024-03688-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
In multiple myeloma (MM), B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CAR T cells have emerged as a novel therapy with potential for long-term disease control. Anti-BCMA CAR T cells with a CD8-based transmembrane (TM) and CD137 (41BB) as intracellular costimulatory domain are in routine clinical use. As the CAR construct architecture can differentially impact performance and efficacy, the optimal construction of a BCMA-targeting CAR remains to be elucidated. Here, we hypothesized that varying the constituents of the CAR structure known to impact performance could shed light on how to improve established anti-BCMA CAR constructs. CD8TM.41BBIC-based anti-BCMA CAR vectors with either a long linker or a short linker between the light and heavy scFv chain, CD28TM.41BBIC-based and CD28TM.CD28IC-based anti-BCMA CAR vector systems were used in primary human T cells. MM cell lines were used as target cells. The short linker anti-BCMA CAR demonstrated higher cytokine production, whereas in vitro cytotoxicity, T cell differentiation upon activation and proliferation were superior for the CD28TM.CD28IC-based CAR. While CD28TM.CD28IC-based CAR T cells killed MM cells faster, the persistence of 41BBIC-based constructs was superior in vivo. While CD28 and 41BB costimulation come with different in vitro and in vivo advantages, this did not translate into a superior outcome for either tested model. In conclusion, this study showcases the need to study the influence of different CAR architectures based on an identical scFv individually. It indicates that current scFv-based anti-BCMA CAR with clinical utility may already be at their functional optimum regarding the known structural variations of the scFv linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Stock
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany.
| | - Luisa Fertig
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Adrian Gottschlich
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Janina Dörr
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Märkl
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lina Majed
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vivien D Menkhoff
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ruth Grünmeier
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kai Rejeski
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Immunology, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - David M Cordas Dos Santos
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany
- Cancer- and Immunometabolism Research Group, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Theurich
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany
- Cancer- and Immunometabolism Research Group, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael von Bergwelt-Baildon
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Endres
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Marion Subklewe
- Department of Medicine III, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Immunology, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, a partnership between the DKFZ Heidelberg and the LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany.
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU), Neuherberg, Germany.
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Chen T, Wang M, Chen Y, Liu Y. Current challenges and therapeutic advances of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:133. [PMID: 38622705 PMCID: PMC11017638 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03315-3] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the management of hematological malignancies has emerged as a noteworthy therapeutic breakthrough. Nevertheless, the utilization and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors are still limited primarily because of the absence of tumor-specific target antigen, the existence of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, restricted T cell invasion and proliferation, and the occurrence of severe toxicity. This review explored the history of CAR-T and its latest advancements in the management of solid tumors. According to recent studies, optimizing the design of CAR-T cells, implementing logic-gated CAR-T cells and refining the delivery methods of therapeutic agents can all enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, combination therapy shows promise as a way to improve the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy. At present, numerous clinical trials involving CAR-T cells for solid tumors are actively in progress. In conclusion, CAR-T cell therapy has both potential and challenges when it comes to treating solid tumors. As CAR-T cell therapy continues to evolve, further innovations will be devised to surmount the challenges associated with this treatment modality, ultimately leading to enhanced therapeutic response for patients suffered solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Mingzhao Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yanchao Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yutao Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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Tran TM, Chand Thakuri BK, Nurmukhambetova S, Lee JJ, Hu P, Tran NQ, Steimle B, Dash P, Schneider D. Armored TGFβRIIDN ROR1-CAR T cells reject solid tumors and resist suppression by constitutively-expressed and treatment-induced TGFβ1. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008261. [PMID: 38609317 PMCID: PMC11029479 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008261] [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] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy target receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is broadly expressed in hematologic and solid tumors, however clinically-characterized ROR1-CAR T cells with single chain variable fragment (scFv)-R12 targeting domain failed to induce durable remissions, in part due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we describe the development of an improved ROR1-CAR with a novel, fully human scFv9 targeting domain, and augmented with TGFβRIIDN armor protective against a major TME factor, transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). METHODS CAR T cells were generated by lentiviral transduction of enriched CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and the novel scFv9-based ROR1-CAR-1 was compared with the clinically-characterized ROR1-R12-scFv-based CAR-2 in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS CAR-1 T cells exhibited greater CAR surface density than CAR-2 when normalized for %CAR+, and produced more interferon (IFN)-γ tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-2 in response to hematologic (Jeko-1, RPMI-8226) and solid (OVCAR-3, Capan-2, NCI-H226) tumor cell lines in vitro. In vivo, CAR-1 and CAR-2 both cleared hematologic Jeko-1 lymphoma xenografts, however only CAR-1 fully rejected ovarian solid OVCAR-3 tumors, concordantly with greater expansion of CD8+ and CD4+CAR T cells, and enrichment for central and effector memory phenotype. When equipped with TGFβ-protective armor TGFβRIIDN, CAR-1 T cells resisted TGFβ-mediated pSmad2/3 phosphorylation, as compared with CAR-1 alone. When co-cultured with ROR-1+ AsPC-1 pancreatic cancer line in the presence of TGFβ1, armored CAR-1 demonstrated improved recovery of killing function, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2 secretion. In mouse AsPC-1 pancreatic tumor xenografts overexpressing TGFβ1, armored CAR-1, in contrast to CAR-1 alone, achieved complete tumor remissions, and yielded accelerated expansion of CAR+ T cells, diminished circulating active TGFβ1, and no apparent toxicity or weight loss. Unexpectedly, in AsPC-1 xenografts without TGFβ overexpression, TGFβ1 production was specifically induced by ROR-1-CAR T cells interaction with ROR-1 positive tumor cells, and the TGFβRIIDN armor conferred accelerated tumor clearance. CONCLUSIONS The novel fully human TGFßRIIDN-armored ROR1-CAR-1 T cells are highly potent against ROR1-positive tumors, and withstand the inhibitory effects of TGFß in solid TME. Moreover, TGFβ1 induction represents a novel, CAR-induced checkpoint in the solid TME, which can be circumvented by co-expressing the TGβRIIDN armor on T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tri Minh Tran
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Jia-Jye Lee
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Peirong Hu
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Ngoc Q Tran
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Brittany Steimle
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Pradyot Dash
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Dina Schneider
- Lentigen Technology Inc., a Miltenyi Biotec Company, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
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Rojas-Quintero J, Díaz MP, Palmar J, Galan-Freyle NJ, Morillo V, Escalona D, González-Torres HJ, Torres W, Navarro-Quiroz E, Rivera-Porras D, Bermúdez V. Car T Cells in Solid Tumors: Overcoming Obstacles. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4170. [PMID: 38673757 PMCID: PMC11050550 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084170] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T cell) therapy has emerged as a prominent adoptive cell therapy and a therapeutic approach of great interest in the fight against cancer. This approach has shown notorious efficacy in refractory hematological neoplasm, which has bolstered its exploration in the field of solid cancers. However, successfully managing solid tumors presents considerable intrinsic challenges, which include the necessity of guiding the modified cells toward the tumoral region, assuring their penetration and survival in adverse microenvironments, and addressing the complexity of identifying the specific antigens for each type of cancer. This review focuses on outlining the challenges faced by CAR T cell therapy when used in the treatment of solid tumors, as well as presenting optimizations and emergent approaches directed at improving its efficacy in this particular context. From precise localization to the modulation of the tumoral microenvironment and the adaptation of antigen recognition strategies, diverse pathways will be examined to overcome the current limitations and buttress the therapeutic potential of CAR T cells in the fight against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joselyn Rojas-Quintero
- Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - María P. Díaz
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrino—Metabólicas, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela (J.P.); (V.M.); (D.E.); (W.T.)
| | - Jim Palmar
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrino—Metabólicas, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela (J.P.); (V.M.); (D.E.); (W.T.)
| | - Nataly J. Galan-Freyle
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia; (N.J.G.-F.); (E.N.-Q.)
| | - Valery Morillo
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrino—Metabólicas, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela (J.P.); (V.M.); (D.E.); (W.T.)
| | - Daniel Escalona
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrino—Metabólicas, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela (J.P.); (V.M.); (D.E.); (W.T.)
| | | | - Wheeler Torres
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrino—Metabólicas, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela (J.P.); (V.M.); (D.E.); (W.T.)
| | - Elkin Navarro-Quiroz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia; (N.J.G.-F.); (E.N.-Q.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Biomédicas, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia
| | - Diego Rivera-Porras
- Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Cúcuta 540001, Colombia;
| | - Valmore Bermúdez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia; (N.J.G.-F.); (E.N.-Q.)
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia;
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Ouyang W, Jin SW, Xu N, Liu WY, Zhao H, Zhang L, Kang L, Tao Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Wang J, Liu F, Yu L, Liu Z, Mi JQ. PD-1 downregulation enhances CAR-T cell antitumor efficiency by preserving a cell memory phenotype and reducing exhaustion. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008429. [PMID: 38589248 PMCID: PMC11015237 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008429] [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] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the encouraging outcome of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) targeting B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) in managing relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients, the therapeutic side effects and dysfunctions of CAR-T cells have limited the efficacy and clinical application of this promising approach. METHODS In this study, we incorporated a short hairpin RNA cassette targeting PD-1 into a BCMA-CAR with an OX-40 costimulatory domain. The transduced PD-1KD BCMA CAR-T cells were evaluated for surface CAR expression, T-cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, cytokine production, and subsets when they were exposed to a single or repetitive antigen stimulation. Safety and efficacy were initially observed in a phase I clinical trial for RRMM patients. RESULTS Compared with parental BCMA CAR-T cells, PD-1KD BCMA CAR-T cell therapy showed reduced T-cell exhaustion and increased percentage of memory T cells in vitro. Better antitumor activity in vivo was also observed in PD-1KD BCMA CAR-T group. In the phase I clinical trial of the CAR-T cell therapy for seven RRMM patients, safety and efficacy were initially observed in all seven patients, including four patients (4/7, 57.1%) with at least one extramedullary site and four patients (4/7, 57.1%) with high-risk cytogenetics. The overall response rate was 85.7% (6/7). Four patients had a stringent complete response (sCR), one patient had a CR, one patient had a partial response, and one patient had stable disease. Safety profile was also observed in these patients, with an incidence of manageable mild to moderate cytokine release syndrome and without the occurrence of neurological toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates a design concept of CAR-T cells independent of antigen specificity and provides an alternative approach for improving the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyan Ouyang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Wei Jin
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Xu
- Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Bio-medicine Technology Co Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Yang Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liuqingqing Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liqing Kang
- Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Bio-medicine Technology Co Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Tao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanfang Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Yu
- Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Bio-medicine Technology Co Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jian-Qing Mi
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Zhang W, Liu M, Li W, Song Y. Immune cells in the B-cell lymphoma microenvironment: From basic research to clinical applications. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:776-790. [PMID: 38269619 PMCID: PMC10997228 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT B-cell lymphoma is a group of hematological malignancies characterized by variable genetic and biological features and clinical behaviors. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex network in tumors, which consists of surrounding blood vessels, extracellular matrix, immune and non-immune cells, and signaling molecules. Increasing evidence has shown that the TME, especially immune cells within, is a double-edged sword, acting either as a tumor killer or as a promoter of tumor progression. These pro-tumor activities are driven by subpopulations of immune cells that express typical markers but have unique transcriptional characteristics, making tumor-associated immune cells good targets for human anti-cancer therapy by ablating immunosuppressive cells or enhancing immune-activated cells. Thus, exploring the role of immune cells in the TME provides distinct insights for immunotherapy in B-cell lymphoma. In this review, we elucidated the interaction between immune cells and tumor cells and their function in the initiation, progression, and prognosis of B-cell lymphoma, from preclinical experiments to clinical trials. Furthermore, we outlined potential therapeutic approaches and discussed the potential clinical value and future perspectives of targeting immune cells in patients with B-cell lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- Department of Hematology, Henan Provincial Hematology Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Mengmeng Liu
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- Department of Research and Foreign Affairs, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- Department of Hematology, Henan Provincial Hematology Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China
| | - Yongping Song
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
- Department of Hematology, Henan Provincial Hematology Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China
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Shao W, Yao Y, Yang L, Li X, Ge T, Zheng Y, Zhu Q, Ge S, Gu X, Jia R, Song X, Zhuang A. Novel insights into TCR-T cell therapy in solid neoplasms: optimizing adoptive immunotherapy. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:37. [PMID: 38570883 PMCID: PMC10988985 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00504-8] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapy in the T cell landscape exhibits efficacy in cancer treatment. Over the past few decades, genetically modified T cells, particularly chimeric antigen receptor T cells, have enabled remarkable strides in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Besides, extensive exploration of multiple antigens for the treatment of solid tumors has led to clinical interest in the potential of T cells expressing the engineered T cell receptor (TCR). TCR-T cells possess the capacity to recognize intracellular antigen families and maintain the intrinsic properties of TCRs in terms of affinity to target epitopes and signal transduction. Recent research has provided critical insight into their capability and therapeutic targets for multiple refractory solid tumors, but also exposes some challenges for durable efficacy. In this review, we describe the screening and identification of available tumor antigens, and the acquisition and optimization of TCRs for TCR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, we summarize the complete flow from laboratory to clinical applications of TCR-T cells. Last, we emerge future prospects for improving therapeutic efficacy in cancer world with combination therapies or TCR-T derived products. In conclusion, this review depicts our current understanding of TCR-T cell therapy in solid neoplasms, and provides new perspectives for expanding its clinical applications and improving therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihuan Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiran Yao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Ludi Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoran Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Tongxin Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyi Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Renbing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xin Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ai Zhuang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
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Xin X, Zhu X, Yang Y, Wang N, Wang J, Xu J, Wei J, Huang L, Zheng M, Xiao Y, Li C, Cao Y, Meng F, Jiang L, Zhang Y. Efficacy of programmed cell death 1 inhibitor maintenance after chimeric antigen receptor T cells in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin-lymphoma. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00940-y. [PMID: 38564164 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00940-y] [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] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells obtained long-term durability in about 30% to 40% of relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Maintenance therapy after CAR-T is necessary, and PD1 inhibitor is one of the important maintenance therapy options. METHODS A total of 173 r/r B-NHL patients treated with PD1 inhibitor maintenance following CD19/22 CAR-T therapy alone or combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) from March 2019 to July 2022 were assessed for eligibility for two trials. There were 81 patients on PD1 inhibitor maintenance therapy. RESULTS In the CD19/22 CAR-T therapy trial, the PD1 inhibitor maintenance group indicated superior objective response rate (ORR) (82.9% vs 60%; P = 0.04) and 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) (59.8% vs 21.3%; P = 0.001) than the non-maintenance group. The estimated 2-year overall survival (OS) was comparable in the two groups (60.1% vs 45.1%; P = 0.112). No difference was observed in the peak expansion levels of CD19 CAR-T and CD22 CAR-T between the two groups. The persistence time of CD19 and CD22 CAR-T in the PD1 inhibitor maintenance group was longer than that in the non-maintenance group. In the CD19/22 CAR-T therapy combined with ASCT trial, no significant differences in ORR (81.4% vs 84.8%; P = 0.67), 2-year PFS (72.3% vs 74.9%; P = 0.73), and 2-year OS (84.1% vs 80.7%; P = 0.79) were observed between non-maintenance and PD1 inhibitor maintenance therapy groups. The peak expansion levels and duration of CD19 and CD22 CAR-T were not statistically different between the two groups. During maintenance treatment with PD1 inhibitor, all adverse events were manageable. In the multivariable analyses, type and R3m were independent predictive factors influencing the OS of r/r B-NHL with PD1 inhibitor maintenance after CAR-T therapy. CONCLUSION PD1 inhibitor maintenance following CD19/22 CAR-T therapy obtained superior response and survival in r/r B-NHL, but not in the trial of CD19/22 CAR-T cell therapy combined with ASCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangke Xin
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojian Zhu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Na Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Jue Wang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Jinhuan Xu
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Jia Wei
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Liang Huang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Miao Zheng
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Chunrui Li
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Fankai Meng
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Jiang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China.
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China.
| | - Yicheng Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China.
- Immunotherapy Research Center for Hematologic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, P. R. China.
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Lee HW, O'Reilly C, Beckett AN, Currier DG, Chen T, DeRenzo C. A high-content screen of FDA approved drugs to enhance CAR T cell function: ingenol-3-angelate improves B7-H3-CAR T cell activity by upregulating B7-H3 on the target cell surface via PKCα activation. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:97. [PMID: 38561833 PMCID: PMC10985962 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03022-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CAR T cell therapy is a promising approach to improve outcomes and decrease toxicities for patients with cancer. While extraordinary success has been achieved using CAR T cells to treat patients with CD19-positive malignancies, multiple obstacles have so far limited the benefit of CAR T cell therapy for patients with solid tumors. Novel manufacturing and engineering approaches show great promise to enhance CAR T cell function against solid tumors. However, similar to single agent chemotherapy approaches, CAR T cell monotherapy may be unable to achieve high cure rates for patients with difficult to treat solid tumors. Thus, combinatorial drug plus CAR T cell approaches are likely required to achieve widespread clinical success. METHODS We developed a novel, confocal microscopy based, high-content screen to evaluate 1114 FDA approved drugs for the potential to increase expression of the solid tumor antigen B7-H3 on the surface of osteosarcoma cells. Western blot, RT-qPCR, siRNA knockdown and flow cytometry assays were used to validate screening results and identify mechanisms of drug-induced B7-H3 upregulation. Cytokine and cytotoxicity assays were used to determine if drug pre-treatment enhanced B7-H3-CAR T cell effector function. RESULTS Fifty-five drugs were identified to increase B7-H3 expression on the surface of LM7 osteosarcoma cells using a novel high-content, high-throughput screen. One drug, ingenol-3-angelate (I3A), increased B7-H3 expression by up to 100%, and was evaluated in downstream experiments. Validation assays confirmed I3A increased B7-H3 expression in a biphasic dose response and cell dependent fashion. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that I3A increased B7-H3 (CD276) mRNA, total protein, and cell surface expression via protein kinase C alpha activation. Functionally, I3A induced B7-H3 expression enhanced B7-H3-CAR T cell function in cytokine production and cytotoxicity assays. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates a novel high-content and high-throughput screen can identify drugs to enhance CAR T cell activity. This and other high-content technologies will pave the way to develop clinical trials implementing rational drug plus CAR T cell combinatorial therapies. Importantly, the technique could also be repurposed for an array of basic and translational research applications where drugs are needed to modulate cell surface protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Won Lee
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Carla O'Reilly
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Alex N Beckett
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Duane G Currier
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Christopher DeRenzo
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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Chu GJ, Bailey CG, Nagarajah R, Liang O, Metierre C, Sagnella SM, Castelletti L, Yeo D, Adelstein S, Rasko JEJ. Mesothelin antigen density influences anti-mesothelin chimeric antigen receptor T cell cytotoxicity. Cytotherapy 2024; 26:325-333. [PMID: 38349311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Several anti-mesothelin (MSLN) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are in phase 1/2 clinical trials to treat solid-organ malignancies. The effect of MSLN antigen density on MSLN CAR cytotoxicity against tumor cells has not been examined previously, nor are there data regarding the effect of agents that increase MSLN antigen density on anti-MSLN CAR T cell efficacy. METHODS MSLN antigen density was measured on a panel of pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma cell lines by flow cytometry. In parallel, the cytotoxicity and specificity of two anti-MSLN CAR T cells (m912 and SS1) were compared against these cell lines using a real-time impedance-based assay. The effect of two MSLN 'sheddase' inhibitors (lanabecestat and TMI-1) that increase MSLN surface expression was also tested in combination with CAR T cells. RESULTS SS1 CAR T cells were more cytotoxic compared with m912 CAR T cells against cell lines that expressed fewer than ∼170 000 MSLN molecules/cell. A comparison of the m912 and amatuximab (humanized SS1) antibodies identified that amatuximab could detect and bind to lower levels of MSLN on pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma cell lines, suggesting that superior antibody/scFv affinity was the reason for the SS1 CAR's superior cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity of m912 CAR T cells was improved in the presence of sheddase inhibitors, which increased MSLN antigen density. CONCLUSIONS These data highlight the value of assessing CAR constructs against a panel of cells expressing varying degrees of target tumor antigen as occurs in human tumors. Furthermore, the problem of low antigen density may be overcome by concomitant administration of drugs that inhibit enzymatic shedding of MSLN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard J Chu
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Charles G Bailey
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cancer and Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Rajini Nagarajah
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Oliver Liang
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Cynthia Metierre
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Sharon M Sagnella
- Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Laura Castelletti
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Dannel Yeo
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
| | - Stephen Adelstein
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - John E J Rasko
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
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Vo MC, Jung SH, Nguyen VT, Tran VDH, Ruzimurodov N, Kim SK, Nguyen XH, Kim M, Song GY, Ahn SY, Ahn JS, Yang DH, Kim HJ, Lee JJ. Exploring cellular immunotherapy platforms in multiple myeloma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27892. [PMID: 38524535 PMCID: PMC10957441 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27892] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite major advances in therapeutic platforms, most patients with multiple myeloma (MM) eventually relapse and succumb to the disease. Among the novel therapeutic options developed over the past decade, genetically engineered T cells have a great deal of potential. Cellular immunotherapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, are rapidly becoming an effective therapeutic modality for MM. Marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs) derived from the bone marrow of patients with MM are a novel source of T cells for adoptive T-cell therapy, which robustly and specifically target myeloma cells. In this review, we examine the recent innovations in cellular immunotherapies, including the use of dendritic cells, and cellular tools based on MILs, natural killer (NK) cells, and CAR T cells, which hold promise for improving the efficacy and/or reducing the toxicity of treatment in patients with MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manh-Cuong Vo
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Danang, Viet Nam
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Vaxcell-Bio Therapeutics, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hoon Jung
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Van-Tan Nguyen
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Van-Dinh-Huan Tran
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Nodirjon Ruzimurodov
- Institute of Immunology and Human Genomics of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
| | - Sang Ki Kim
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Department of Laboratory and Companion Animal Science, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
- Vaxcell-Bio Therapeutics, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Xuan-Hung Nguyen
- Hi-Tech Center and Vinmec-VinUni Institute of Immunology, Vinmec Healthcare system, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Mihee Kim
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Ga-Young Song
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Yeon Ahn
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Sook Ahn
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Deok-Hwan Yang
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeoung-Joon Kim
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
| | - Je-Jung Lee
- Research Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital and Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
- Vaxcell-Bio Therapeutics, Hwasun, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea
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Zhu L, Man CW, Harrison RE, Wu Z, Limsakul P, Peng Q, Hashimoto M, Mamaril AP, Xu H, Liu L, Wang Y. Engineering a Programmed Death-Ligand 1-Targeting Monobody Via Directed Evolution for SynNotch-Gated Cell Therapy. ACS NANO 2024; 18:8531-8545. [PMID: 38456901 PMCID: PMC10958600 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01597] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a promising target for cancer immunotherapy due to its ability to inhibit T cell activation; however, its expression on various noncancer cells may cause on-target off-tumor toxicity when designing PD-L1-targeting Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapies. Combining rational design and directed evolution of the human fibronectin-derived monobody scaffold, "PDbody" was engineered to bind to PD-L1 with a preference for a slightly lower pH, which is typical in the tumor microenvironment. PDbody was further utilized as a CAR to target the PD-L1-expressing triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. To mitigate on-target off-tumor toxicity associated with targeting PD-L1, a Cluster of Differentiation 19 (CD19)-recognizing SynNotch IF THEN gate was integrated into the system. This CD19-SynNotch PDbody-CAR system was then expressed in primary human T cells to target CD19-expressing MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. These CD19-SynNotch PDbody-CAR T cells demonstrated both specificity and efficacy in vitro, accurately eradicating cancer targets in cytotoxicity assays. Moreover, in an in vivo bilateral murine tumor model, they exhibited the capability to effectively restrain tumor growth. Overall, CD19-SynNotch PDbody-CAR T cells represent a distinct development over previously published designs due to their increased efficacy, proliferative capability, and mitigation of off-tumor toxicity for solid tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linshan Zhu
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Alfred
E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Chi-Wei Man
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093 United States
| | - Reed E.S. Harrison
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Zhuohang Wu
- Alfred
E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Praopim Limsakul
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Division
of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
- Center of
Excellence for Trace Analysis and Biosensor, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Qin Peng
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Institute
of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen
Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, P.R. China
| | - Matthew Hashimoto
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Anthony P. Mamaril
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Hongquan Xu
- Department
of Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Longwei Liu
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Alfred
E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Yingxiao Wang
- Department
of Bioengineering & Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Alfred
E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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Ouyang P, Wang L, Wu J, Tian Y, Chen C, Li D, Yao Z, Chen R, Xiang G, Gong J, Bao Z. Overcoming cold tumors: a combination strategy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1344272. [PMID: 38545114 PMCID: PMC10965539 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1344272] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) therapy has advanced significantly in treating malignant tumors, though most 'cold' tumors show no response. This resistance mainly arises from the varied immune evasion mechanisms. Hence, understanding the transformation from 'cold' to 'hot' tumors is essential in developing effective cancer treatments. Furthermore, tumor immune profiling is critical, requiring a range of diagnostic techniques and biomarkers for evaluation. The success of immunotherapy relies on T cells' ability to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. In 'cold' tumors, the absence of T cell infiltration leads to the ineffectiveness of ICI therapy. Addressing these challenges, especially the impairment in T cell activation and homing, is crucial to enhance ICI therapy's efficacy. Concurrently, strategies to convert 'cold' tumors into 'hot' ones, including boosting T cell infiltration and adoptive therapies such as T cell-recruiting bispecific antibodies and Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells, are under extensive exploration. Thus, identifying key factors that impact tumor T cell infiltration is vital for creating effective treatments targeting 'cold' tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Ouyang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianlong Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yao Tian
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Caiyun Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dengsheng Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zengxi Yao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruichang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guoan Xiang
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Gong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhen Bao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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49
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Tang L, Zhang H, Zhou F, Wei Q, Du M, Wu J, Li C, Luo W, Zhou J, Wang X, Chen Z, Zhang Y, Huang Z, Wu Z, Wen Y, Jiang H, Liao D, Kou H, Xiong W, Mei H, Hu Y. Targeting autophagy overcomes cancer-intrinsic resistance to CAR-T immunotherapy in B-cell malignancies. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2024; 44:408-432. [PMID: 38407943 PMCID: PMC10958674 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12525] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) therapy has substantially revolutionized the clinical outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies, but the cancer-intrinsic mechanisms underlying resistance to CAR-T cells remain yet to be fully understood. This study aims to explore the molecular determinants of cancer cell sensitivity to CAR-T cell-mediated killing and to provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and potential modulation to improve clinical efficacy. METHODS The human whole-genome CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout screening was conducted to identify key genes that enable cancer cells to evade CD19 CAR-T-cell-mediated killing. The in vitro cytotoxicity assays and evaluation of tumor tissue and bone marrow specimens were further conducted to confirm the role of the key genes in cancer cell susceptibility to CAR-T cells. In addition, the specific mechanisms influencing CAR-T cell-mediated cancer clearance were elucidated in mouse and cellular models. RESULTS The CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout screening showed that the enrichment of autophagy-related genes (ATG3, BECN1, and RB1CC1) provided protection of cancer cells from CD19 CAR-T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. These findings were further validated by in vitro cytotoxicity assays in cells with genetic and pharmacological inhibition of autophagy. Notably, higher expression of the three autophagy-related proteins in tumor samples was correlated with poorer responsiveness and worse survival in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma after CD19 CAR-T therapy. Bulk RNA sequencing analysis of bone marrow samples from B-cell leukemia patients also suggested the clinical relevance of autophagy to the therapeutic response and relapse after CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy and knockout of RB1CC1 could dramatically sensitize tumor cells to CD19 CAR-T cell-mediated killing in mouse models of both B-cell leukemia and lymphoma. Moreover, our study revealed that cancer-intrinsic autophagy mediates evasion of CAR-T cells via the TNF-α-TNFR1 axis-mediated apoptosis and STAT1/IRF1-induced chemokine signaling activation. CONCLUSIONS These findings confirm that autophagy signaling in B-cell malignancies is essential for the effective cytotoxic function of CAR-T cells and thereby pave the way for the development of autophagy-targeting strategies to improve the clinical efficacy of CAR-T cell immunotherapy.
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50
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Wang S, Sun H, Chen G, Wu C, Sun B, Lin J, Lin D, Zeng D, Lin B, Huang G, Lu X, Lin H, Liang Y. RNA-binding proteins in breast cancer: Biological implications and therapeutic opportunities. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 195:104271. [PMID: 38272151 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104271] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) refer to a class of proteins that participate in alternative splicing, RNA stability, polyadenylation, localization and translation of RNAs, thus regulating gene expression in post-transcriptional manner. Dysregulation of RNA-RBP interaction contributes to various diseases, including cancer. In breast cancer, disorders in RBP expression and function influence the biological characteristics of tumor cells. Targeting RBPs has fostered the development of innovative therapies for breast cancer. However, the RBP-related mechanisms in breast cancer are not completely clear. In this review, we summarize the regulatory mechanisms of RBPs and their signaling crosstalk in breast cancer. Specifically, we emphasize the potential of certain RBPs as prognostic factors due to their effects on proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and therapy resistance of breast cancer cells. Most importantly, we present a comprehensive overview of the latest RBP-related therapeutic strategies and novel therapeutic targets that have proven to be useful in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimeng Wang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Hexing Sun
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Guanyuan Chen
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Chengyu Wu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Bingmei Sun
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Jiajia Lin
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Danping Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of SUMC, Shantou 515000, China
| | - De Zeng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of SUMC, Shantou 515000, China
| | - Baohang Lin
- Department of Thyroid, Breast and Vascular Surgery, Longgang District Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Guan Huang
- Department of Pathology, Longgang District Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Xiaofeng Lu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Haoyu Lin
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China.
| | - Yuanke Liang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (SUMC), 57 Changping Road, Shantou 515041, China.
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