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Eichhorn JS, Petrik J. Thetumor microenvironment'sinpancreatic cancer:Effects onimmunotherapy successandnovel strategiestoovercomethehostile environment. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 259:155370. [PMID: 38815507 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a significant global health issue that poses a considerable burden on both patients and healthcare systems. Many different types of cancers exist that often require unique treatment approaches and therapies. A hallmark of tumor progression is the creation of an immunosuppressive environment, which poses complex challenges for current treatments. Amongst the most explored characteristics is a hypoxic environment, high interstitial pressure, and immunosuppressive cells and cytokines. Traditional cancer treatments involve radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical procedures. The advent of immunotherapies was regarded as a promising approach with hopes of greatly increasing patients' survival and outcome. Although some success is seen with various immunotherapies, the vast majority of monotherapies are unsuccessful. This review examines how various aspects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) present challenges that impede the success of immunotherapies. Subsequently, we review strategies to manipulate the TME to facilitate the success of immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Sören Eichhorn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Jim Petrik
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada.
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2
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Yang L, Hu Q, Huang T. Breast Cancer Treatment Strategies Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment: How to Convert "Cold" Tumors to "Hot" Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7208. [PMID: 39000314 PMCID: PMC11241188 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137208] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer characterized as "cold tumors" exhibit low levels of immune cell infiltration, which limits the efficacy of conventional immunotherapy. Recent studies have focused on strategies using nanotechnology combined with tumor microenvironment modulation to transform "cold tumors" into "hot tumors". This approach involves the use of functionalized nanoparticles that target and modify the tumor microenvironment to promote the infiltration and activation of antitumor immune cells. By delivering immune activators or blocking immunosuppressive signals, these nanoparticles activate otherwise dormant immune responses, enhancing tumor immunogenicity and the therapeutic response. These strategies not only promise to increase the response rate of breast cancer patients to existing immunotherapies but also may pave new therapeutic avenues, providing a new direction for the immunotherapy of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liucui Yang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Qingyi Hu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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3
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Feldman L. Hypoxia within the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment: a master saboteur of novel treatments. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1384249. [PMID: 38994360 PMCID: PMC11238147 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384249] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) tumors are the most aggressive primary brain tumors in adults that, despite maximum treatment, carry a dismal prognosis. GBM tumors exhibit tissue hypoxia, which promotes tumor aggressiveness and maintenance of glioma stem cells and creates an overall immunosuppressive landscape. This article reviews how hypoxic conditions overlap with inflammatory responses, favoring the proliferation of immunosuppressive cells and inhibiting cytotoxic T cell development. Immunotherapies, including vaccines, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and CAR-T cell therapy, represent promising avenues for GBM treatment. However, challenges such as tumor heterogeneity, immunosuppressive TME, and BBB restrictiveness hinder their effectiveness. Strategies to address these challenges, including combination therapies and targeting hypoxia, are actively being explored to improve outcomes for GBM patients. Targeting hypoxia in combination with immunotherapy represents a potential strategy to enhance treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Feldman
- Division of Neurosurgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, United States
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4
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Huang A, Sun Z, Hong H, Yang Y, Chen J, Gao Z, Gu J. Novel hypoxia- and lactate metabolism-related molecular subtyping and prognostic signature for colorectal cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:587. [PMID: 38902737 PMCID: PMC11191174 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05391-5] [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: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious global health burden because of its high morbidity and mortality rates. Hypoxia and massive lactate production are hallmarks of the CRC microenvironment. However, the effects of hypoxia and lactate metabolism on CRC have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to develop a novel molecular subtyping based on hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) and lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) and construct a signature to predict the prognosis of patients with CRC and treatment efficacy. METHODS Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing and clinical data of CRC were downloaded from the TCGA and GEO databases. HRGs and LMRGs were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database. The R software package DESeq2 was used to perform differential expression analysis. Molecular subtyping was performed using unsupervised clustering. A predictive signature was developed using univariate Cox regression, random forest model, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Finally, the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents before and after hypoxia was verified using in vitro experiments. RESULTS We classified 575 patients with CRC into three molecular subtypes and were able to distinguish their prognoses clearly. The C1 subtype, which exhibits high levels of hypoxia, has a low proportion of CD8 + T cells and a high proportion of macrophages. The expression of immune checkpoint genes is generally elevated in C1 patients with severe immune dysfunction. Subsequently, we constructed a predictive model, the HLM score, which effectively predicts the prognosis of patients with CRC and the efficacy of immunotherapy. The HLM score was validated in GSE39582, GSE106584, GSE17536, and IMvigor210 datasets. Patients with high HLM scores exhibit high infiltration of CD8 + exhausted T cells (Tex), especially terminal Tex, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)-Tex in the immune microenvironment. Finally, in vitro experiments confirmed that CRC cell lines were less sensitive to 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION We constructed novel hypoxia- and lactate metabolism-related molecular subtypes and revealed their immunological and genetic characteristics. We also developed an HLM scoring system that could be used to predict the prognosis and efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Huang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery III, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Zhuang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery III, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Haopeng Hong
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery III, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, 100144, China
| | - Jiajia Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, 100144, China
| | - Zhaoya Gao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, 100144, China
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Jin Gu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery III, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China.
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, 100144, China.
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Wang B, Tang M, Chen Q, Ho W, Teng Y, Xiong X, Jia Z, Li X, Xu X, Zhang XQ. Delivery of mRNA Encoding Interleukin-12 and a Stimulator of Interferon Genes Agonist Potentiates Antitumor Efficacy through Reversing T Cell Exhaustion. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15499-15516. [PMID: 38832815 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00063] [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: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
T cell exhaustion has emerged as a major hurdle that impedes the clinical translation of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists. It is crucial to explore innovative strategies to rejuvenate exhausted T cells and potentiate the antitumor efficacy. Here, we propose an approach utilizing MSA-2 as a STING agonist, along with nanoparticle-mediated delivery of mRNA encoding interleukin-12 (IL-12) to restore the function of T cells. We developed a lipid nanoparticle (DMT7-IL12 LNP) that encapsulated IL12 mRNA. Our findings convincingly demonstrated that the combination of MSA-2 and DMT7-IL12 LNP can effectively reverse the exhausted T cell phenotype, as evidenced by the enhanced secretion of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon gamma, and Granzyme B, coupled with reduced levels of inhibitory molecules such as T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 and programmed cell death protein-1 on CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, this approach led to improved survival and tumor regression without causing any systemic toxicity in melanoma and lung metastasis models. These findings suggest that mRNA encoding IL-12 in conjunction with STING agonists has the potential to confer superior clinical outcomes, representing a promising advancement in cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Maoping Tang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qijing Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | | | - Yilong Teng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiaojian Xiong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhitong Jia
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiuling Li
- Shanghai Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200051, China
| | | | - Xue-Qing Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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6
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Lavi Arab F, Hoseinzadeh A, Hafezi F, Sadat Mohammadi F, Zeynali F, Hadad Tehran M, Rostami A. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes for management of prostate cancer: An updated view. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 134:112171. [PMID: 38701539 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112171] [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: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Prostate cancer represents the second most prevalent form of cancer found in males, and stands as the fifth primary contributor to cancer-induced mortality on a global scale. Research has shown that transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can migrate by homing to tumor sites in the body. In prostate cancer, researchers have explored the fact that MSC-based therapies (including genetically modified delivery vehicles or vectors) and MSC-derived exosomes are emerging as attractive options to improve the efficacy and safety of traditional cancer therapies. In addition, researchers have reported new insights into the application of extracellular vesicle (EV)-MSC therapy as a novel treatment option that could provide a more effective and targeted approach to prostate cancer treatment. Moreover, the new generation of exosomes, which contain biologically functional molecules as signal transducers between cells, can simultaneously deliver different therapeutic agents and induce an anti-tumor phenotype in immune cells and their recruitment to the tumor site. The results of the current research on the use of MSCs in the treatment of prostate cancer may be helpful to researchers and clinicians working in this field. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that although dual-role MSCs show promise as a therapeutic modality for managing prostate cancer, further investigation is imperative to comprehensively grasp their safety and effectiveness. Ongoing clinical trials are being conducted to assess the viability of MSCs in the management of prostate cancer. The results of these trials will help determine the viability of this approach. Based on the current literature, engineered MSCs-EV offer great potential for application in targeted tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Lavi Arab
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Akram Hoseinzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.; Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Hafezi
- Immunology Research Center, Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Division, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sadat Mohammadi
- Immunology Research Center, Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Division, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Farid Zeynali
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Melika Hadad Tehran
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amirreza Rostami
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Liu J, Jiao X, Ma D, Fang Y, Gao Q. CAR-T therapy and targeted treatments: Emerging combination strategies in solid tumors. MED 2024; 5:530-549. [PMID: 38547867 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.03.001] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/17/2024]
Abstract
CAR-T cell therapies hold great potential in achieving long-term remission in patients suffering from malignancies. However, their efficacy in treating solid tumors is impeded by challenges such as limited infiltration, compromised cancer recognition, decreased cytotoxicity, heightened exhaustion, absence of memory phenotypes, and inevitable toxicity. To surmount these obstacles, researchers are exploring innovative strategies, including the integration of CAR-T cells with targeted inhibitors. The combination of CAR-T therapies with specific targeted drugs has shown promise in enhancing CAR-T cell infiltration into tumor sites, boosting their tumor recognition capabilities, strengthening their cytotoxicity, alleviating exhaustion, promoting the development of a memory phenotype, and reducing toxicity. By harnessing the synergistic potential, a wider range of patients with solid tumors may potentially experience favorable outcomes. To summarize the current combined strategies of CAR-T therapies and targeted therapies, outline the potential mechanisms, and provide insights for future studies, we conducted this review by collecting existing experimental and clinical evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Liu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaofei Jiao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Fang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Qinglei Gao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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8
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Zhang TQ, Lv QY, Jin WL. The cellular-centered view of hypoxia tumor microenvironment: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189137. [PMID: 38880161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189137] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a profoundly dynamic, heterogeneous and aggressive systemic ailment, with a coordinated evolution of various types of tumor niches. Hypoxia plays an indispensable role in the tumor micro-ecosystem, drastically enhancing the plasticity of cancer cells, fibroblasts and immune cells and orchestrating intercellular communication. Hypoxia-induced signals, particularly hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), drive the reprogramming of genetic, transcriptional, and proteomic profiles. This leads to a spectrum of interconnected processes, including augmented survival of cancer cells, evasion of immune surveillance, metabolic reprogramming, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, and the development of resistance to conventional therapeutic modalities like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Here, we summarize the latest research on the multifaceted effects of hypoxia, where a multitude of cellular and non-cellular elements crosstalk with each other and co-evolve in a synergistic manner. Additionally, we investigate therapeutic approaches targeting hypoxic niche, encompassing hypoxia-activated prodrugs, HIF inhibitors, nanomedicines, and combination therapies. Finally, we discuss some of the issues to be addressed and highlight the potential of emerging technologies in the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Qi Zhang
- Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Qian-Yu Lv
- The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Wei-Lin Jin
- Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Panagi M, Mpekris F, Voutouri C, Hadjigeorgiou AG, Symeonidou C, Porfyriou E, Michael C, Stylianou A, Martin JD, Cabral H, Constantinidou A, Stylianopoulos T. Stabilizing Tumor-Resident Mast Cells Restores T-Cell Infiltration and Sensitizes Sarcomas to PD-L1 Inhibition. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:2582-2597. [PMID: 38578281 PMCID: PMC11145177 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-24-0246] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the cellular cross-talk of tumor-resident mast cells (MC) in controlling the activity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) to overcome tumor microenvironment (TME) abnormalities, enhancing the efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in sarcoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We used a coculture system followed by further validation in mouse models of fibrosarcoma and osteosarcoma with or without administration of the MC stabilizer and antihistamine ketotifen. To evaluate the contribution of ketotifen in sensitizing tumors to therapy, we performed combination studies with doxorubicin chemotherapy and anti-PD-L1 (B7-H1, clone 10F.9G2) treatment. We investigated the ability of ketotifen to modulate the TME in human sarcomas in the context of a repurposed phase II clinical trial. RESULTS Inhibition of MC activation with ketotifen successfully suppressed CAF proliferation and stiffness of the extracellular matrix accompanied by an increase in vessel perfusion in fibrosarcoma and osteosarcoma as indicated by ultrasound shear wave elastography imaging. The improved tissue oxygenation increased the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy, supported by enhanced T-cell infiltration and acquisition of tumor antigen-specific memory. Importantly, the effect of ketotifen in reducing tumor stiffness was further validated in sarcoma patients, highlighting its translational potential. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests the targeting of MCs with clinically administered drugs, such as antihistamines, as a promising approach to overcome resistance to immunotherapy in sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrofora Panagi
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Fotios Mpekris
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Chrysovalantis Voutouri
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Andreas G. Hadjigeorgiou
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Christina Michael
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Andreas Stylianou
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Basic and Translational Cancer Research Center, School of Sciences, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Horacio Cabral
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Anastasia Constantinidou
- Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Cyprus Cancer Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
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10
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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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11
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Shi Q, Xue C, Zeng Y, Yuan X, Chu Q, Jiang S, Wang J, Zhang Y, Zhu D, Li L. Notch signaling pathway in cancer: from mechanistic insights to targeted therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:128. [PMID: 38797752 PMCID: PMC11128457 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01828-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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Notch signaling, renowned for its role in regulating cell fate, organ development, and tissue homeostasis across metazoans, is highly conserved throughout evolution. The Notch receptor and its ligands are transmembrane proteins containing epidermal growth factor-like repeat sequences, typically necessitating receptor-ligand interaction to initiate classical Notch signaling transduction. Accumulating evidence indicates that the Notch signaling pathway serves as both an oncogenic factor and a tumor suppressor in various cancer types. Dysregulation of this pathway promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis in malignancies, closely linked to cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Furthermore, the Notch signaling pathway contributes to maintaining stem-like properties in cancer cells, thereby enhancing cancer invasiveness. The regulatory role of the Notch signaling pathway in cancer metabolic reprogramming and the tumor microenvironment suggests its pivotal involvement in balancing oncogenic and tumor suppressive effects. Moreover, the Notch signaling pathway is implicated in conferring chemoresistance to tumor cells. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of these biological processes is crucial for developing innovative therapeutic strategies targeting Notch signaling. This review focuses on the research progress of the Notch signaling pathway in cancers, providing in-depth insights into the potential mechanisms of Notch signaling regulation in the occurrence and progression of cancer. Additionally, the review summarizes pharmaceutical clinical trials targeting Notch signaling for cancer therapy, aiming to offer new insights into therapeutic strategies for human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmiao Shi
- 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
| | - Chen Xue
- 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
| | - Yifan 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
| | - Xin 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
| | - Qingfei Chu
- 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
| | - Shuwen Jiang
- 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
| | - Jinzhi Wang
- 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
| | - Yaqi 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
| | - Danhua Zhu
- 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.
| | - Lanjuan Li
- 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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12
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Johnson AL, Lopez-Bertoni H. Cellular diversity through space and time: adding new dimensions to GBM therapeutic development. Front Genet 2024; 15:1356611. [PMID: 38774283 PMCID: PMC11106394 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1356611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The current median survival for glioblastoma (GBM) patients is only about 16 months, with many patients succumbing to the disease in just a matter of months, making it the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer in adults. This poor outcome is, in part, due to the lack of new treatment options with only one FDA-approved treatment in the last decade. Advances in sequencing techniques and transcriptomic analyses have revealed a vast degree of heterogeneity in GBM, from inter-patient diversity to intra-tumoral cellular variability. These cutting-edge approaches are providing new molecular insights highlighting a critical role for the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a driver of cellular plasticity and phenotypic heterogeneity. With this expanded molecular toolbox, the influence of TME factors, including endogenous (e.g., oxygen and nutrient availability and interactions with non-malignant cells) and iatrogenically induced (e.g., post-therapeutic intervention) stimuli, on tumor cell states can be explored to a greater depth. There exists a critical need for interrogating the temporal and spatial aspects of patient tumors at a high, cell-level resolution to identify therapeutically targetable states, interactions and mechanisms. In this review, we discuss advancements in our understanding of spatiotemporal diversity in GBM with an emphasis on the influence of hypoxia and immune cell interactions on tumor cell heterogeneity. Additionally, we describe specific high-resolution spatially resolved methodologies and their potential to expand the impact of pre-clinical GBM studies. Finally, we highlight clinical attempts at targeting hypoxia- and immune-related mechanisms of malignancy and the potential therapeutic opportunities afforded by single-cell and spatial exploration of GBM patient specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L. Johnson
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hernando Lopez-Bertoni
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Oncology, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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13
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Giatromanolaki A, Michos GD, Xanthopoulou E, Koukourakis MI. HLA-class-I expression loss, tumor microenvironment and breast cancer prognosis. Cell Immunol 2024; 399-400:104816. [PMID: 38507936 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2024.104816] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Loss of HLA-class-I molecule expression by cancer cells is a frequent event in human tumors that may lead to immune evasion from cytotoxic T-cells. We examined the expression patterns of HLA-class-I molecules in a series of 175 patients with operable breast cancer (BCa). Extensive loss of BCa cell HLA-class-I expression was noted 76.6 % of patients (27.5 % complete loss). A significant association of HLA-preservation with high TIL-density (p = 0.001) was documented. Preservation of HLA was evident only in BCa carcinomas with low HIF1α expression and high TIL-density. Cell line experiments (MCF7 and T47D) showed that induction of HLAs in cancer cells following incubation with lymphocytes or IFNγ, was abrogated under hypoxic conditions. HLA-preservation was linked with better distant metastasis-free survival (p = 0.01), which was confirmed also in multivariate analysis (p = 0.02, HR 3.17). Studying the expression of HLA-class-I molecules in parallel with TIL-density and HIF1α expression may identify subgroups of BCa patients who would benefit from immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Giatromanolaki
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Georgios D Michos
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Erasmia Xanthopoulou
- Department of Radiotherapy / Oncology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Michael I Koukourakis
- Department of Radiotherapy / Oncology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
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14
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Cao Y, Li Y, Ren C, Yang C, Hao R, Mu T. Manganese-based nanomaterials promote synergistic photo-immunotherapy: green synthesis, underlying mechanisms, and multiple applications. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:4097-4117. [PMID: 38587869 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02844e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Single phototherapy and immunotherapy have individually made great achievements in tumor treatment. However, monotherapy has difficulty in balancing accuracy and efficiency. Combining phototherapy with immunotherapy can realize the growth inhibition of distal metastatic tumors and enable the remote monitoring of tumor treatment. The development of nanomaterials with photo-responsiveness and anti-tumor immunity activation ability is crucial for achieving photo-immunotherapy. As immune adjuvants, photosensitizers and photothermal agents, manganese-based nanoparticles (Mn-based NPs) have become a research hotspot owing to their multiple ways of anti-tumor immunity regulation, photothermal conversion and multimodal imaging. However, systematic studies on the synergistic photo-immunotherapy applications of Mn-based NPs are still limited; especially, the green synthesis and mechanism of Mn-based NPs applied in immunotherapy are rarely comprehensively discussed. In this review, the synthesis strategies and function of Mn-based NPs in immunotherapy are first introduced. Next, the different mechanisms and leading applications of Mn-based NPs in immunotherapy are reviewed. In addition, the advantages of Mn-based NPs in synergistic photo-immunotherapy are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and research focus of Mn-based NPs in combination therapy are discussed, which might provide guidance for future personalized cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Cao
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China
| | - Yilin Li
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China
| | - Caixia Ren
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China
| | - Chengkai Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China
| | - Rongzhang Hao
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China
| | - Tiancheng Mu
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China.
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15
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Horvath L, Puschmann C, Scheiber A, Martowicz A, Sturm G, Trajanoski Z, Wolf D, Pircher A, Salcher S. Beyond binary: bridging neutrophil diversity to new therapeutic approaches in NSCLC. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:457-474. [PMID: 38360439 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.01.010] [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: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Neutrophils represent the most abundant myeloid cell subtype in the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor microenvironment (TME). By anti- or protumor polarization, they impact multiple aspects of tumor biology and affect sensitivity to conventional therapies and immunotherapies. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analyses have unraveled an extensive neutrophil heterogeneity, helping our understanding of their pleiotropic role. In this review we summarize recent data and models on tumor-associated neutrophil (TAN) biology, focusing on the diversity that evolves in response to tumor-intrinsic cues. We categorize available transcriptomic profiles from different cancer entities into a defined set of neutrophil subclusters with distinct phenotypic properties, to step beyond the traditional binary N1/2 classification. Finally, we discuss potential ways to exploit these neutrophil states in the setting of anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Horvath
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Constanze Puschmann
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexandra Scheiber
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Agnieszka Martowicz
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gregor Sturm
- Biocenter, Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; Boehringer Ingelheim International Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Zlatko Trajanoski
- Biocenter, Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dominik Wolf
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Pircher
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefan Salcher
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck (CCCI), Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI), Innsbruck, Austria.
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16
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Bian F, Goda C, Wang G, Lan YW, Deng Z, Gao W, Acharya A, Reza AA, Gomez-Arroyo J, Merjaneh N, Ren X, Goveia J, Carmeliet P, Kalinichenko VV, Kalin TV. FOXF1 promotes tumor vessel normalization and prevents lung cancer progression through FZD4. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:1063-1090. [PMID: 38589650 PMCID: PMC11099127 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00064-8] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells re-program normal lung endothelial cells (EC) into tumor-associated endothelial cells (TEC) that form leaky vessels supporting carcinogenesis. Transcriptional regulators that control the reprogramming of EC into TEC are poorly understood. We identified Forkhead box F1 (FOXF1) as a critical regulator of EC-to-TEC transition. FOXF1 was highly expressed in normal lung vasculature but was decreased in TEC within non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Low FOXF1 correlated with poor overall survival of NSCLC patients. In mice, endothelial-specific deletion of FOXF1 decreased pericyte coverage, increased vessel permeability and hypoxia, and promoted lung tumor growth and metastasis. Endothelial-specific overexpression of FOXF1 normalized tumor vessels and inhibited the progression of lung cancer. FOXF1 deficiency decreased Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TECs through direct transcriptional activation of Fzd4. Restoring FZD4 expression in FOXF1-deficient TECs through endothelial-specific nanoparticle delivery of Fzd4 cDNA rescued Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TECs, normalized tumor vessels and inhibited the progression of lung cancer. Altogether, FOXF1 increases tumor vessel stability, and inhibits lung cancer progression by stimulating FZD4/Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TECs. Nanoparticle delivery of FZD4 cDNA has promise for future therapies in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghua Bian
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Chinmayee Goda
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Guolun Wang
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Ying-Wei Lan
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Child Health, Phoenix Children's Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, 475 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Zicheng Deng
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Child Health, Phoenix Children's Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, 475 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Wen Gao
- Department of Child Health, Phoenix Children's Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, 475 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Anusha Acharya
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Abid A Reza
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Jose Gomez-Arroyo
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Nawal Merjaneh
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA
| | - Xiaomeng Ren
- Division of Asthma Research of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Jermaine Goveia
- Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Department of Oncology and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), KU Leuven, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Peter Carmeliet
- Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Department of Oncology and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), KU Leuven, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Vladimir V Kalinichenko
- Department of Child Health, Phoenix Children's Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, 475 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
- Division of Neonatology, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA
| | - Tanya V Kalin
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Child Health, Phoenix Children's Research Institute, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, 475 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, 475 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
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17
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Zhang Y, Guo F, Wang Y. Hypoxic tumor microenvironment: Destroyer of natural killer cell function. Chin J Cancer Res 2024; 36:138-150. [PMID: 38751439 PMCID: PMC11090795 DOI: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2024.02.04] [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: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, immunotherapy has made remarkable progress in treating certain tumors and hematological malignancies. However, the efficacy of natural killer (NK) cells, which are an important subset of innate lymphocytes used in anticancer immunotherapy, remains limited. Hypoxia, a critical characteristic of the tumor microenvironment (TME), is involved in tumor development and resistance to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Moreover, hypoxia contributes to the impairment of NK cell function and may be a significant factor that limits their therapeutic effects. Targeted hypoxia therapy has emerged as a promising research area for enhancing the efficacy of NK cell therapy. Therefore, understanding how the hypoxic TME influences NK cell function is crucial for improving antitumor treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfei Zhang
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Feifei Guo
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
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18
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Shi Y, Li K, Yuan Y, Wang C, Yang Z, Zuo D, Niu Y, Qiu J, Li B, Yuan Y, He W. Comprehensive analysis of m6A modification in immune infiltration, metabolism and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:138. [PMID: 38627760 PMCID: PMC11022358 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03307-3] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is important in regulating mRNA stability, splicing, and translation, and it also contributes to tumor development. However, there is still limited understanding of the comprehensive effects of m6A modification patterns on the tumor immune microenvironment, metabolism, and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we utilized unsupervised clustering based on the expression of 23 m6A regulators to identify m6A clusters. We identified differential m6A modification patterns and characterized m6A-gene-cluster A, which exhibited poorer survival rates, a higher abundance of Treg cells, and increased expression of TGFβ in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, m6A-gene-cluster A demonstrated higher levels of glycolysis activity, cholesterol metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis. We also found that the m6A score was associated with prognosis and drug resistance. Patients with a low m6A score experienced worse prognoses, which were linked to an abundance of Treg cells, upregulation of TGFβ, and increased metabolic activity. HCC patients with a higher m6A score showed improved prognosis following sorafenib treatment and immunotherapy. In conclusion, we reveals the association between m6A modification patterns and the tumor immune microenvironment, metabolism, and drug resistance in HCC. Furthermore, the m6A score holds potential as a predictive factor for the efficacy of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxing Shi
- Department of General Surgery (Colorectal Surgery), The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat- sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yichuan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Chenwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhiwen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Dinglan Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yi Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jiliang Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Binkui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yunfei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Wei He
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road E, 510060, Guangzhou, P.R. China.
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19
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Li Y, Yu H, Han X, Pan Y. Analyses of hypoxia-related risk factors and clinical relevance in breast cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1350426. [PMID: 38500661 PMCID: PMC10946248 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1350426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hypoxia plays an important role in the heterogeneity, relapse, metastasis, and drug resistance of breast cancer. In this study, we explored the hypoxia-related biological signatures in different subtypes of breast cancer and identified the key prognostic factors by bioinformatics methods. Methods Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Breast Cancer datasets, we divided the samples into immune-activated/suppressed populations by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and then used hierarchical clustering to further identify hypoxic/non-hypoxic populations from the immune-suppressed samples. A hypoxia related risk model of breast cancer was constructed. Results Nuclear factor interleukin-3 regulated (NFIL3), serpin family E member 1 (SERPINE1), FOS, biglycan (BGN), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and sushi-repeat-containing protein, X-linked (SRPX) were identified as key hypoxia-related genes. Margin status, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, hypoxia status, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status, NFIL3, SERPINE1, EGFR, and risk score were identified as independent prognostic indicators for breast cancer patients. The 3- and 5-year survival curves of the model and immunohistochemical staining on the breast cancer microarray verified the statistical significance and feasibility of our model. Among the different molecular types of breast cancer, ER/PR+ and HER2+ patients might have higher hypoxia-related risk scores. ER/PR-negative samples demonstrated more activated immune-related pathways and better response to most anticancer agents. Discussion Our study revealed a novel risk model and potential feasible prognostic factors for breast cancer and might provide new perspectives for individual breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Haiyang Yu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xinghua Han
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yueyin Pan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
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20
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Sarma K, Akther MH, Ahmad I, Afzal O, Altamimi ASA, Alossaimi MA, Jaremko M, Emwas AH, Gautam P. Adjuvant Novel Nanocarrier-Based Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer. Molecules 2024; 29:1076. [PMID: 38474590 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer has the lowest survival rate due to its late-stage diagnosis, poor prognosis, and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. These factors decrease the effectiveness of treatment. They release chemokines and cytokines from the tumor microenvironment (TME). To improve the effectiveness of treatment, researchers emphasize personalized adjuvant therapies along with conventional ones. Targeted chemotherapeutic drug delivery systems and specific pathway-blocking agents using nanocarriers are a few of them. This study explored the nanocarrier roles and strategies to improve the treatment profile's effectiveness by striving for TME. A biofunctionalized nanocarrier stimulates biosystem interaction, cellular uptake, immune system escape, and vascular changes for penetration into the TME. Inorganic metal compounds scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) through their photothermal effect. Stroma, hypoxia, pH, and immunity-modulating agents conjugated or modified nanocarriers co-administered with pathway-blocking or condition-modulating agents can regulate extracellular matrix (ECM), Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF),Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk receptors (TAM) regulation, regulatory T-cell (Treg) inhibition, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) inhibition. Again, biomimetic conjugation or the surface modification of nanocarriers using ligands can enhance active targeting efficacy by bypassing the TME. A carrier system with biofunctionalized inorganic metal compounds and organic compound complex-loaded drugs is convenient for NSCLC-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangkan Sarma
- School of Pharmaceutical and Population Health Informatics (SoPPHI), DIT University, Dehradun 248009, India
| | - Md Habban Akther
- School of Pharmaceutical and Population Health Informatics (SoPPHI), DIT University, Dehradun 248009, India
| | - Irfan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 62521, Saudi Arabia
| | - Obaid Afzal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmalik S A Altamimi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manal A Alossaimi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mariusz Jaremko
- Smart-Health Initiative (SHI) and Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul-Hamid Emwas
- Core Labs, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Preety Gautam
- School of Pharmaceutical and Population Health Informatics (SoPPHI), DIT University, Dehradun 248009, India
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21
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Poole RA, Wang Q, Ray A, Takabe K, Opyrchal M, Katsuta E. Increased PIEZO1 Expression Is Associated with Worse Clinical Outcomes in Hormone-Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:683. [PMID: 38398074 PMCID: PMC10887014 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040683] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
PIEZO1 plays a crucial role in the human body as a mechanosensory ion channel. It has been demonstrated that PIEZO1 is important in tissue development and regulating many essential physiological processes. Studies have suggested that the PIEZO1 ion channel plays a role in invasion and progression in cancer; elevated levels of PIEZO1 have been correlated with increased migration in breast cancer cells, chemo-resistance and invasion in gastric cancer cells, and increased invasion of osteosarcoma cells. In addition, high PIEZO1 expression levels were correlated with a worse prognosis in glioma patients. On the other hand, studies in lung cancer have attributed high PIEZO1 levels to better patient outcomes. However, the clinical impact of PIEZO1 in breast cancer is not well characterized. Therefore, our goal was to determine the clinical relevance of PIEZO1 in breast cancer. An analysis of breast cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was conducted to investigate PIEZO1 expression levels and correlation to survival, followed by validation in an independent dataset, GSE3494. We also performed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and pathway enrichment analysis. We also analyzed the immune cell composition in breast tumors from TCGA through a CIBERSORT algorithm. Our results demonstrated that the PIEZO1 expression levels are higher in hormone-receptor (HR)-negative than in HR-positive cohorts. High PIEZO1 expression is correlated with a significant decrease in survival in HR-negative cohorts, especially in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), suggesting that PIEZO1 could be utilized as a prognostic biomarker in HR-negative breast cancer. GSEA showed that various signaling pathways associated with more invasive phenotypes and resistance to treatments, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hypoxia, and multiple signaling pathways, are enriched in high-PIEZO1 HR-negative tumors. Our results also demonstrated a decrease in CD8+ and CD4+ T cell infiltration in high-PIEZO1 HR-negative tumors. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate the mechanistic roles of PIEZO1 in HR-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rylee Ann Poole
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (R.A.P.)
| | - Qingfei Wang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (R.A.P.)
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Alo Ray
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (R.A.P.)
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Kazuaki Takabe
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Mateusz Opyrchal
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (R.A.P.)
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Eriko Katsuta
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Department of Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
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22
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Zhang N, Zhou J, Li S, Cai W, Ru B, Hu J, Liu W, Liu X, Tong X, Zheng X. Advances in Nanoplatforms for Immunotherapy Applications Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:410-426. [PMID: 38170627 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy is a treatment method that activates or enhances the autoimmune response of the body to fight tumor growth and metastasis, has fewer toxic side effects and a longer-lasting efficacy than radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and has become an important means for the clinical treatment of cancer. However, clinical results from immunotherapy have shown that most patients lack responsiveness to immunotherapy and cannot benefit from this treatment strategy. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in the response to immunotherapy. The TME typically prevents effective lymphocyte activation, reducing their infiltration, and inhibiting the infiltration of effector T cells. According to the characteristic differences between the TME and normal tissues, various nanoplatforms with TME targeting and regulation properties have been developed for more precise regulation of the TME and have the ability to codeliver a variety of active pharmaceutical ingredients, thereby reducing systemic toxicity and improving the therapeutic effect of antitumor. In addition, the precise structural design of the nanoplatform can integrate specific functional motifs, such as surface-targeted ligands, degradable backbones, and TME stimulus-responsive components, into nanomedicines, thereby reshaping the tumor microenvironment, improving the body's immunosuppressive state, and enhancing the permeability of drugs in tumor tissues, in order to achieve controlled and stimulus-triggered release of load cargo. In this review, the physiological characteristics of the TME and the latest research regarding the application of TME-regulated nanoplatforms in improving antitumor immunotherapy will be described. Furthermore, the existing problems and further applications perspectives of TME-regulated platforms for cancer immunotherapy will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Zhang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Junyu Zhou
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Shun Li
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Wenjun Cai
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Bin Ru
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Jiaqi Hu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Wenlong Liu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Xuanxi Liu
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Xiangmin Tong
- Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, China
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, Zhejiang 324000, China
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23
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Cao M, Xiao L, Chen S, Huang J. Characterization of hypoxia-responsive states in ovarian cancer to identify hot tumors and aid adjuvant therapy. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:23. [PMID: 38294583 PMCID: PMC10831007 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00859-8] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS The hypoxia-responsive state of cancer is a complex pathophysiological process involving numerous genes playing different roles. Due to the rapid proliferation of cancer cells and chaotic angiogenesis, the clinical features of hypoxia-responsive states are not yet clear in patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS Based on the RNA expression levels of 14 hypoxic markers, our study screened out hypoxia-related genes and construct a hypoxic score pattern to quantify the hypoxia-responsive states of a single tumor. Combining clinical prognosis, tumor mutation burden, microsatellite instability, the expression level of the immune checkpoint, IC50, and other indicators to evaluate the impact of different hypoxia-responsive states on clinical prognosis and therapeutic sensitivity. RESULTS Our study identified a subgroup with an active hypoxia-responsive state and they have a worse clinical prognosis but exhibit higher immunogenicity and higher sensitivity to immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS This work revealed that hypoxia-responsive states played an important role in formation of tumor immunogenicity. Evaluating the hypoxia-responsive state will contribute to guiding more effective immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Cao
- Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Liwei Xiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiaming Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
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24
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Xie T, Fu DJ, Li KJ, Guo JD, Xiao ZM, Li Z, Zhao SC. Identification of a basement membrane gene signature for predicting prognosis and estimating the tumor immune microenvironment in prostate cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:1581-1604. [PMID: 38240702 PMCID: PMC10866409 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205445] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Basement membrane plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis, which is closely related to prognosis. However, the prognostic value and biology of basement membrane genes (BMGs) in prostate cancer (PCa) remain unknown. In the TCGA training set, we used differentially expressed gene analysis, protein-protein interaction networks, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to construct a basement membrane-related risk model (BMRM) and validated its effectiveness in the MSKCC validation set. Furthermore, the accurate nomogram was constructed to improve clinical applicability. Patients with PCa were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the optimal cut-off value of the basement membrane-related risk score (BMRS). It was found that BMRS was significantly associated with RFS, T-stage, Gleason score, and tumor microenvironmental characteristics in PCa patients. Further analysis showed that the model grouping was closely related to tumor immune microenvironment characteristics, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity. In this study, we developed a new BMGs-based prognostic model to determine the prognostic value of BMGs in PCa. Finally, we confirmed that THBS2, a key gene in BMRM, may be an important link in the occurrence and progression of PCa. This study provides a novel perspective to assess the prognosis of PCa patients and provides clues for the selection of future personalized treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xie
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510500, China
| | - Du-Jiang Fu
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Kang-Jing Li
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jia-Ding Guo
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510500, China
| | - Zhao-Ming Xiao
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510500, China
| | - Zhijie Li
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Shan-Chao Zhao
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510500, China
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25
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Cheng H, Zheng Y. Advances in macrophage and T cell metabolic reprogramming and immunotherapy in the tumor microenvironment. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16825. [PMID: 38239299 PMCID: PMC10795528 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16825] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophages and T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression. However, TME is also characterized by metabolic reprogramming, which may affect macrophage and metabolic activity of T cells and promote tumor escape. Immunotherapy is an approach to fight tumors by stimulating the immune system in the host, but requires support and modulation of cellular metabolism. In this process, the metabolic roles of macrophages and T cells become increasingly important, and their metabolic status and interactions play a critical role in the success of immunotherapy. Therefore, understanding the metabolic state of T cells and macrophages in the TME and the impact of metabolic reprogramming on tumor therapy will help optimize subsequent immunotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Cheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yongbin Zheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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26
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Rodriguez-Berriguete G, Puliyadi R, Machado N, Barberis A, Prevo R, McLaughlin M, Buffa FM, Harrington KJ, Higgins GS. Antitumour effect of the mitochondrial complex III inhibitor Atovaquone in combination with anti-PD-L1 therapy in mouse cancer models. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:32. [PMID: 38212297 PMCID: PMC10784292 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06405-8] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) provides effective and durable responses for several tumour types by unleashing an immune response directed against cancer cells. However, a substantial number of patients treated with ICB develop relapse or do not respond, which has been partly attributed to the immune-suppressive effect of tumour hypoxia. We have previously demonstrated that the mitochondrial complex III inhibitor atovaquone alleviates tumour hypoxia both in human xenografts and in cancer patients by decreasing oxygen consumption and consequently increasing oxygen availability in the tumour. Here, we show that atovaquone alleviates hypoxia and synergises with the ICB antibody anti-PD-L1, significantly improving the rates of tumour eradication in the syngeneic CT26 model of colorectal cancer. The synergistic effect between atovaquone and anti-PD-L1 relied on CD8+ T cells, resulted in the establishment of a tumour-specific memory immune response, and was not associated with any toxicity. We also tested atovaquone in combination with anti-PD-L1 in the LLC (lung) and MC38 (colorectal) cancer syngeneic models but, despite causing a considerable reduction in tumour hypoxia, atovaquone did not add any therapeutic benefit to ICB in these models. These results suggest that atovaquone has the potential to improve the outcomes of patients treated with ICB, but predictive biomarkers are required to identify individuals likely to benefit from this intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rathi Puliyadi
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicole Machado
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Remko Prevo
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Francesca M Buffa
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Computing Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
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27
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Liu A, Gammon ST, Pisaneschi F, Boda A, Ager CR, Piwnica-Worms D, Hong DS, Curran MA. Hypoxia-activated prodrug and antiangiogenic therapies cooperatively treat pancreatic cancer but elicit immunosuppressive G-MDSC infiltration. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e169150. [PMID: 37988164 PMCID: PMC10906452 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.169150] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously showed that ablation of tumor hypoxia can sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Here, we used a Kras+/G12D TP53+/R172H Pdx1-Cre-derived (KPC-derived) model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to examine the tumor response and adaptive resistance mechanisms involved in response to 2 established methods of hypoxia-reducing therapy: the hypoxia-activated prodrug TH-302 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) blockade. The combination of both modalities normalized tumor vasculature, increased DNA damage and cell death, and delayed tumor growth. In contrast with prior cancer models, the combination did not alleviate overall tissue hypoxia or sensitize these KPC tumors to ICB therapy despite qualitative improvements to the CD8+ T cell response. Bulk tumor RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and adoptive myeloid cell transfer suggested that treated tumor cells increased their capacity to recruit granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs) through CCL9 secretion. Blockade of the CCL9/CCR1 axis could limit G-MDSC migration, and depletion of Ly6G-positive cells could sensitize tumors to the combination of TH-302, anti-VEGFR-2, and ICB. Together, these data suggest that pancreatic tumors modulate G-MDSC migration as an adaptive response to vascular normalization and that these immunosuppressive myeloid cells act in a setting of persistent hypoxia to maintain adaptive immune resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Liu
- The University of Texas MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Immunology program, Houston, Texas, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Immunology, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Seth T. Gammon
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Federica Pisaneschi
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Akash Boda
- The University of Texas MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Immunology program, Houston, Texas, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Immunology, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Casey R. Ager
- Mayo Clinic, Department of Immunology, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - David Piwnica-Worms
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David S. Hong
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael A. Curran
- The University of Texas MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Immunology program, Houston, Texas, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Immunology, Houston, Texas, USA
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28
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Montecchi T, Nannini G, De Tommaso D, Cassioli C, Coppola F, Ringressi MN, Carraro F, Naldini A, Taddei A, Marotta G, Amedei A, Baldari CT, Ulivieri C. Human colorectal cancer: upregulation of the adaptor protein Rai in TILs leads to cell dysfunction by sustaining GSK-3 activation and PD-1 expression. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2024; 73:2. [PMID: 38175205 PMCID: PMC10766791 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-023-03614-0] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) of colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major hurdle for immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapies. Hence characterization of the signaling pathways driving T cell exhaustion within TME is a critical need for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and the development of effective therapies. We previously showed that (i) the adaptor protein Rai is a negative regulator of T cell receptor signaling and T helper 1 (Th1)/Th17 cell differentiation; and (ii) Rai deficiency is implicated in the hyperactive phenotype of T cells in autoimmune diseases. METHODS The expression level of Rai was measured by qRT-PCR in paired peripheral blood T cells and T cells infiltrating tumor tissue and the normal adjacent tissue in CRC patients. The impact of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α on Rai expression was evaluated in T cells exposed to hypoxia and by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and RNA interference assays. The mechanism by which upregulation of Rai in T cells promotes T cell exhaustion were evaluated by flow cytometric, qRT-PCR and western blot analyses. RESULTS We show that Rai is a novel HIF-1α-responsive gene that is upregulated in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes of CRC patients compared to patient-matched circulating T cells. Rai upregulation in T cells promoted Programmed cell Death protein (PD)-1 expression and impaired antigen-dependent degranulation of CD8+ T cells by inhibiting phospho-inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3, a central regulator of PD-1 expression and T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. CONCLUSIONS Our data identify Rai as a hitherto unknown regulator of the TME-induced exhausted phenotype of human T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Montecchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Giulia Nannini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, 50134, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Cassioli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Federica Coppola
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Maria Novella Ringressi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, 50134, Italy
| | - Fabio Carraro
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Antonella Naldini
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Antonio Taddei
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, 50134, Italy
| | | | - Amedeo Amedei
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, 50134, Italy.
| | - Cosima T Baldari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy.
| | - Cristina Ulivieri
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, 53100, Italy.
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29
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Koganemaru S, Fuchigami H, Yamashita H, Morizono C, Sunakawa H, Kawazoe A, Nakamura Y, Kuboki Y, Shitara K, Yano T, Doi T, Yasunaga M. Quantitative Analysis of the Concentration of Trifluridine in Tumor Hypoxic Regions Using a Novel Platform Combining Functional Endoscopy and Mass Spectrometry. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:62-70. [PMID: 37803526 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3066] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxic regions in solid tumors are highly resistant to drugs and thus represents an obstacle in drug discovery. Currently, however, there are technical barriers in sampling human hypoxic tumors and examining drug delivery with high sensitivity and accuracy. Herein, we present a new platform combining functional endoscopy and highly sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to assess drug delivery to hypoxic regions. Because oxygen saturation endoscopic imaging (OXEI), a functional endoscopy, can evaluate lesions and hypoxia in real-time by simultaneously acquiring a pseudocolor map of oxygen saturation and conventional endoscopic images, this platform can be used to evaluate drug delivery with human samples from hypoxic regions. As the first clinical application of this platform, the relationship between hypoxic regions and the concentration of trifluridine (FTD) incorporated into DNA was evaluated in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with FTD/tipiracil (FTD/TPI; n = 13) by obtaining and analysis of tissue samples by OXEI and LC-MS and vascular maturity index by CD31/α-SMA staining ex vivo. The results showed that the concentration of FTD was significantly higher in the normoxic region than in the hypoxic region (P < 0.05) and there were significantly more immature vessels in hypoxic regions than in normoxic regions (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the platform was sufficiently sensitive to evaluate differences in drug anabolism in different oxygenic regions of human tumor tissue. This new platform allows quantitative drug analysis in hypoxic regions and is expected to initiate a new era of drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigehiro Koganemaru
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hirobumi Fuchigami
- Division of Developmental Therapeutics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hiroki Yamashita
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Chihiro Morizono
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
- Division of Developmental Therapeutics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hironori Sunakawa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Akihito Kawazoe
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yasutoshi Kuboki
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Kohei Shitara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Tomonori Yano
- Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Doi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yasunaga
- Division of Developmental Therapeutics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
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30
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Yang J, Wan S, Zhao M, Cai H, Gao Y, Wang H. Multi-omics Analysis Identifies Hypoxia Subtypes and S100A2 as an Immunosuppressive Factor in Cervical Cancer. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:107-121. [PMID: 37648942 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01304-x] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a common gynecological oncology. Growing evidence indicates hypoxia plays an important role in tumor progression and immunity. However, no study has examined the hypoxia landscape in cervical cancer. In this study, using hierarchical clustering, we identified three hypoxia subtypes in cervical cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset according to formerly described hypoxia-related genes. The overall survival time, hypoxic features, genomics, and immunological characteristics of these subtypes existed distinct differences. We also created a hypoxia score by principle component analysis for dimension reduction. The hypoxiaScore was an effective prognostic biomarker validated by GSE44001 and was associated with immunotherapy response. Furthermore, combined with single-cell RNA-sequence (scRNA-seq) and experiments, S100A2 was identified as an immunosuppressive factor induced by hypoxia and regulated expression of PD-L1. S100A2 also served as an oncogene promoting the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells. These findings depicted a new hypoxia-based classification and identified S100A2 as a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer, thereby advancing the understanding of immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and cervical cancer genetic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyuan Yang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Gynecology, Maternal and ChildHealth Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China
| | - Shimeng Wan
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengna Zhao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongbing Cai
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China.
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China.
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31
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Mu HY, Lin CM, Chu LA, Lin YH, Li J, Liu CY, Huang HC, Cheng SL, Lee TY, Lee HM, Chen HM, Tsai YJ, Chen Y, Huang JH. Ex Vivo Evaluation of Combination Immunotherapy Using Tumor-Microenvironment-on-Chip. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2302268. [PMID: 37748773 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302268] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Combination immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy to address the challenges associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in breast cancer. The efficacy of combination immunotherapy hinges upon the intricate and dynamic nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by cellular heterogeneity and molecular gradients. However, current methodologies for drug screening often fail to accurately replicate these complex conditions, resulting in limited predictive capacity for treatment outcomes. Here, a tumor-microenvironment-on-chip (TMoC), integrating a circulation system and ex vivo tissue culture with physiological oxygen and nutrient gradients, is described. This platform enables spatial infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and their targeted attack on the tumor, while preserving the high complexity and heterogeneity of the TME. The TMoC is employed to assess the synergistic effect of five targeted therapy drugs and five chemotherapy drugs in combination with immunotherapy, demonstrating strong concordance between chip and animal model responses. The TMoC holds significant potential for advancing drug development and guiding clinical decision-making, as it offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsuan-Yu Mu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chiao-Min Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Li-An Chu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Hui Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Ji Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Yu Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Chien Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Liang Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Ying Lee
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Hsin Mei Lee
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Min Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Jen Tsai
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yunching Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Huang Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd., Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
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32
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Ling H, Zhang Q, Luo Q, Ouyang D, He Z, Sun J, Sun M. Dynamic immuno-nanomedicines in oncology. J Control Release 2024; 365:668-687. [PMID: 38042376 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Anti-cancer therapeutics have achieved significant advances due to the emergence of immunotherapies that rely on the identification of tumors by the patients' immune system and subsequent tumor eradication. However, tumor cells often escape immunity, leading to poor responsiveness and easy tolerance to immunotherapy. Thus, the potentiated anti-tumor immunity in patients resistant to immunotherapies remains a challenge. Reactive oxygen species-based dynamic nanotherapeutics are not new in the anti-tumor field, but their potential as immunomodulators has only been demonstrated in recent years. Dynamic nanotherapeutics can distinctly enhance anti-tumor immune response, which derives the concept of the dynamic immuno-nanomedicines (DINMs). This review describes the pivotal role of DINMs in cancer immunotherapy and provides an overview of the clinical realities of DINMs. The preclinical development of emerging DINMs is also outlined. Moreover, strategies to synergize the antitumor immunity by DINMs in combination with other immunologic agents are summarized. Last but not least, the challenges and opportunities related to DINMs-mediated immune responses are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ling
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Qinyi Zhang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China; CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qiuhua Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Defang Ouyang
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Zhonggui He
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.
| | - Mengchi Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.
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33
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Fan P, Zhang N, Candi E, Agostini M, Piacentini M, Shi Y, Huang Y, Melino G. Alleviating hypoxia to improve cancer immunotherapy. Oncogene 2023; 42:3591-3604. [PMID: 37884747 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02869-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia resulting from abnormal and dysfunctional tumor vascular network poses a substantial obstacle to immunotherapy. In fact, hypoxia creates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) through promoting angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, extracellular matrix remodeling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), p53 inactivation, and immune evasion. Vascular normalization, a strategy aimed at restoring the structure and function of tumor blood vessels, has been shown to improve oxygen delivery and reverse hypoxia-induced signaling pathways, thus alleviates hypoxia and potentiates cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of tumor tissue hypoxia and its impacts on immune cells and cancer immunotherapy, as well as the approaches to induce tumor vascular normalization. We also summarize the evidence supporting the use of vascular normalization in combination with cancer immunotherapy, and highlight the challenges and future directions of this overlooked important field. By targeting the fundamental problem of tumor hypoxia, vascular normalization proposes a promising strategy to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy and improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Fan
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, China
| | - Naidong Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, China
| | - Eleonora Candi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Agostini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Piacentini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Yufang Shi
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, China.
| | - Yuhui Huang
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, China.
| | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.
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34
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Wang D, Ding D, Ying J, Qin Y. Bioinformatics identification of a T-cell-related signature for predicting prognosis and drug sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma. IET Syst Biol 2023; 17:366-377. [PMID: 37935646 PMCID: PMC10725711 DOI: 10.1049/syb2.12082] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal disease with poor clinical outcomes. T cells play a vital role in the crosstalk between the tumour microenvironment and HCC. Single-cell RNA sequencing data were downloaded from the GSE149614 dataset. The T-cell-related prognostic signature (TRPS) was developed with the integrative procedure including 10 machine learning algorithms. The TRPS was established using 7 T-cell-related markers in the Cancer Genome Atlas cohort with 1-, 2- and 3-year area under curve values of 0.820, 0.725 and 0.678, respectively. TRPS acted as an independent risk factor for HCC patients. HCC patients with a high TRPS-based risk score had a higher Tumour Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion score, lower PD1 and CTLA4 immunophenoscore and lower level of immunoactivated cells, including CD8+ T cells and NK cells. The response rate was significantly higher in patients with low-risk scores in immunotherapy cohorts, including IMigor210 and GSE91061. The TRPS-based nomogram had a relatively good predictive value in evaluating the mortality risk at 1, 3 and 5 years in HCC. Overall, this study develops a TRPS by integrated bioinformatics analysis. This TRPS acted as an independent risk factor for the OS rate of HCC patients. It can screen for HCC patients who might benefit from immunotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianqian Wang
- Health Science CenterNingbo UniversityNingboZhejiangChina
| | - Dongxiao Ding
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe People's Hospital of Beilun DistrictNingboZhejiangChina
| | - Junjie Ying
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe People's Hospital of Beilun DistrictNingboZhejiangChina
| | - Yunsheng Qin
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic SurgeryFirst Affiliated HospitalSchool of MedicineZhejiang UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryThe People's Hospital of Beilun DistrictNingboZhejiangChina
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35
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Wang Z, Zhu M, Dong R, Cao D, Li Y, Chen Z, Cai J, Zuo X. TH-302-loaded nanodrug reshapes the hypoxic tumour microenvironment and enhances PD-1 blockade efficacy in gastric cancer. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:440. [PMID: 37993847 PMCID: PMC10664313 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02203-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypoxia, a common characteristic of the tumour microenvironment, is involved in tumour progression and immune evasion. Targeting the hypoxic microenvironment has been implicated as a promising antitumour therapeutic strategy. TH-302 can be selectively activated under hypoxic conditions. However, the effectiveness of TH-302 in gastric cancer combined immunotherapy remains unclear. METHODS We designed mPEG-PLGA-encapsulated TH-302 (TH-302 NPs) to target the hypoxic area of tumour tissues. A particle size analyzer was used to measure the average size and zeta potential of TH-302 NPs. The morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The hypoxic area of tumour tissues was examined by immunofluorescence assays using pimonidazole. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to measure the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and granzyme B. The synergistic antitumour activity of the combination of TH-302 NPs with anti-PD-1 (α-PD-1) therapy was assessed in vitro and in vivo. Haematoxylin and eosin staining of major organs and biochemical indicator detection were performed to investigate the biological safety of TH-302 NPs in vivo. RESULTS TH-302 NPs inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells under hypoxic conditions. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that TH-302 NPs could effectively alleviate tumour hypoxia. TH-302 NPs exhibited high bioavailability, effective tumour-targeting ability and satisfactory biosafety. Moreover, the combination of TH-302 NPs with α-PD-1 significantly improved immunotherapeutic efficacy in vivo. Mechanistically, TH-302 NPs reduced the expression of HIF-1α and PD-L1, facilitated the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and increased the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and granzyme B in tumours, thereby enhancing the efficacy of α-PD-1 therapy. CONCLUSION TH-302 NPs alleviated the hypoxic tumour microenvironment and enhanced the efficacy of PD-1 blockade. Our results provide evidence that TH-302 NPs can be used as a safe and effective nanodrug for combined immunotherapy in gastric cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China
| | - Menglin Zhu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China
| | - Runyu Dong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China
| | - Danping Cao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China
| | - Yanna Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing, China.
| | - Juan Cai
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Basic and Clinical Transformation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China.
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China.
| | - Xueliang Zuo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China.
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Non-coding RNA Basic and Clinical Transformation, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241001, China.
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36
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Bhise K, Gavande NS, Iyer AK. Leveraging hypoxia in triple-negative breast cancer as a promising treatment strategy. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103761. [PMID: 37660983 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103761] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Current treatment strategies for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are based upon conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of both. The treatment regimen for chemotherapy is often a combination of two or more drugs, either dose dense or low dose for synergy. Anthracyclines, alkylating agents, antimicrotubule agents, and antimetabolites for early-stage TNBC; and antimetabolites, non-taxane microtubule inhibitors, and cross-linker platinums for late-stage TNBC are usually administered in the clinical setting. Newer options for patients with advanced TNBC, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors, have recently emerged for cases where surgery is not a viable option and the disease has metastasized. This review outlines the current trends in hypoxia-inspired treatment strategies for TNBC with a focus on clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ketki Bhise
- Use-inspired Biomaterials & Integrated Nano Delivery (U-BiND) Systems Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Navnath S Gavande
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Molecular Therapeutics Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Arun K Iyer
- Use-inspired Biomaterials & Integrated Nano Delivery (U-BiND) Systems Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Molecular Imaging Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA.
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37
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Semenza GL. Targeting intratumoral hypoxia to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 96:5-10. [PMID: 37717718 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.09.002] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Cancers express a large battery of genes by which they establish an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Many of these genes are induced by intratumoral hypoxia through transcriptional activation mediated by hypoxia-inducible factors HIF-1 and HIF-2. This review summarizes several recent reports describing hypoxia-induced mechanisms of immune evasion in sarcoma and breast, colorectal, hepatocellular, prostate and uterine cancer. These studies point to several novel therapeutic approaches to improve anti-tumor immunity and increase responses to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg L Semenza
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Institute for Cell Engineering, and Armstrong Oxygen Biology Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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38
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Noori M, Azizi S, Mahjoubfar A, Abbasi Varaki F, Fayyaz F, Mousavian AH, Bashash D, Kardoust Parizi M, Kasaeian A. Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients with prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1181051. [PMID: 38022569 PMCID: PMC10644317 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1181051] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment paradigm of many cancers, however, its effectiveness in prostate cancer patients is still under question. In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, we sought for assessing the efficacy and safety of Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with prostate cancer. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched on Aguste 19, 2022. Thirty five studies met the eligibility criteria. The median overall survival (mOS) of all treatments was 14.1 months, with the longest and shortest mOS was seen among patients who received anti-CTLA-4 monotherapy and anti-PD-1/PD-L1+anti-CTLA-4 regimen at 24.9 and 9.2 months, respectively. Noteworthy, all types of adverse events had the lowest incidence in the anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy group. Considering the ICI monotherapy regimens, we found that fatigue, diarrhea, and infusion reaction had the highest incidence rates. Future studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of novel combination therapies with ICIs are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Noori
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shadi Azizi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aref Mahjoubfar
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farhan Abbasi Varaki
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farimah Fayyaz
- Colorectal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir-Hossein Mousavian
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Digestive Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Kardoust Parizi
- Department of Urology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Urology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amir Kasaeian
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Digestive Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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39
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Giles JR, Globig AM, Kaech SM, Wherry EJ. CD8 + T cells in the cancer-immunity cycle. Immunity 2023; 56:2231-2253. [PMID: 37820583 PMCID: PMC11237652 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
CD8+ T cells are end effectors of cancer immunity. Most forms of effective cancer immunotherapy involve CD8+ T cell effector function. Here, we review the current understanding of T cell function in cancer, focusing on key CD8+ T cell subtypes and states. We discuss factors that influence CD8+ T cell differentiation and function in cancer through a framework that incorporates the classic three-signal model and a fourth signal-metabolism-and also consider the impact of the tumor microenvironment from a T cell perspective. We argue for the notion of immunotherapies as "pro-drugs" that act to augment or modulate T cells, which ultimately serve as the drug in vivo, and for the importance of overall immune health in cancer treatment and prevention. The progress in understanding T cell function in cancer has and will continue to improve harnessing of the immune system across broader tumor types to benefit more patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine R Giles
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Institute for Immunology and Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna-Maria Globig
- NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Susan M Kaech
- NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - E John Wherry
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Institute for Immunology and Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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40
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Wang P, Wang XY, Man CF, Gong DD, Fan Y. Advances in hyperbaric oxygen to promote immunotherapy through modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1200619. [PMID: 37790761 PMCID: PMC10543083 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1200619] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a relatively safe treatment method that has been used for a long time in the clinic. It has been proven that it can enhance the sensitivity of radiotherapy and photodynamic therapy for cancer. However, there are few studies on hyperbaric oxygen and immunotherapy. In this article, we summarize that hyperbaric oxygen therapy regulates the tumor microenvironment through various pathways such as improving tumor hypoxia, targeting hypoxia-inducing factors, and generating reactive oxygen species. The change in the tumor microenvironment ultimately affects the curative effect of immunotherapy. Therefore, hyperbaric oxygen can influence immunotherapy by regulating the tumor microenvironment, providing a direction for the future development of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Wang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Suqian First People’s Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chang-Feng Man
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan-Dan Gong
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu Fan
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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41
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Lima EABF, Song PN, Reeves K, Larimer B, Sorace AG, Yankeelov TE. Predicting response to combination evofosfamide and immunotherapy under hypoxic conditions in murine models of colon cancer. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:17625-17645. [PMID: 38052529 PMCID: PMC10703000 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this study is to develop a mathematical model that captures the interaction between evofosfamide, immunotherapy, and the hypoxic landscape of the tumor in the treatment of tumors. Recently, we showed that evofosfamide, a hypoxia-activated prodrug, can synergistically improve treatment outcomes when combined with immunotherapy, while evofosfamide alone showed no effects in an in vivo syngeneic model of colorectal cancer. However, the mechanisms behind the interaction between the tumor microenvironment in the context of oxygenation (hypoxic, normoxic), immunotherapy, and tumor cells are not fully understood. To begin to understand this issue, we develop a system of ordinary differential equations to simulate the growth and decline of tumors and their vascularization (oxygenation) in response to treatment with evofosfamide and immunotherapy (6 combinations of scenarios). The model is calibrated to data from in vivo experiments on mice implanted with colon adenocarcinoma cells and longitudinally imaged with [18F]-fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) positron emission tomography (PET) to quantify hypoxia. The results show that evofosfamide is able to rescue the immune response and sensitize hypoxic tumors to immunotherapy. In the hypoxic scenario, evofosfamide reduces tumor burden by $ 45.07 \pm 2.55 $%, compared to immunotherapy alone, as measured by tumor volume. The model accurately predicts the temporal evolution of five different treatment scenarios, including control, hypoxic tumors that received immunotherapy, normoxic tumors that received immunotherapy, evofosfamide alone, and hypoxic tumors that received combination immunotherapy and evofosfamide. The average concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) between predicted and observed tumor volume is $ 0.86 \pm 0.05 $. Interestingly, the model values to fit those five treatment arms was unable to accurately predict the response of normoxic tumors to combination evofosfamide and immunotherapy (CCC = $ -0.064 \pm 0.003 $). However, guided by the sensitivity analysis to rank the most influential parameters on the tumor volume, we found that increasing the tumor death rate due to immunotherapy by a factor of $ 18.6 \pm 9.3 $ increases CCC of $ 0.981 \pm 0.001 $. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to mathematically predict and describe the increased efficacy of immunotherapy following evofosfamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto A. B. F. Lima
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 201 East 24th St, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Texas Advanced Computing Center, The University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Rd (R8700), Austin, TX 78758, USA
| | - Patrick N. Song
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 19th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Graduate Biomedical Sciences, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1075 13th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Kirsten Reeves
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 19th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Graduate Biomedical Sciences, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1075 13th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Benjamin Larimer
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 19th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Anna G. Sorace
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 19th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1075 13th St S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Thomas E. Yankeelov
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 201 East 24th St, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1107 W. Dean Keeton St, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St Bldg B, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Oncology, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St Bldg B, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 623 W. 38th St Ste 300, Austin, TX 78705, USA
- Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler St Unit 1472, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Banerjee R, Wang V, Huang CY, Pandita D, Leonard MK, LaRue S, Ahmadi M, Kaplan L, Ai WZ, Fakhri B, Spinner M, Seshadri MR, Pampaloni MH, Andreadis CB. Hypoxia-specific imaging in patients with lymphoma undergoing CAR-T therapy. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 50:3349-3353. [PMID: 37300573 PMCID: PMC10853015 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06296-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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Intratumoral hypoxia in non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) may interfere with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) function. We conducted a single-center pilot study (clinicaltrials.gov ID NCT04409314) of [18F]fluoroazomycin arabinoside, a hypoxia-specific radiotracer abbreviated as [18F]FAZA, to assess the feasibility of this positron emission tomography (PET) imaging modality in this population. METHODS Patients with relapsed NHL being evaluated for CAR-T therapy received a one-time [18F]FAZA PET scan before pre-CAR-T lymphodepletion. A tumor to mediastinum (T/M) ratio of 1.2 or higher with regard to [18F]FAZA uptake was defined as positive for intratumoral hypoxia. We planned to enroll 30 patients with an interim futility analysis after 16 scans. RESULTS Of 16 scanned patients, 3 had no evidence of disease by standard [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET imaging before CAR-T therapy. Six patients (38%) had any [18F]FAZA uptake above background. Using a T/M cutoff of 1.20, only one patient (a 68-year-old male with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) demonstrated intratumoral hypoxia in an extranodal chest wall lesion (T/M 1.35). Interestingly, of all 16 scanned patients, he was the only patient with progressive disease within 1 month of CAR-T therapy. However, because of our low overall proportion of positive scans, our study was stopped for futility. CONCLUSIONS Our pilot study identified low-level [18F]FAZA uptake in a small number of patients with NHL receiving CAR-T therapy. The only patient who met our pre-specified threshold for intratumoral hypoxia was also the only patient with early CAR-T failure. Future plans include exploration of [18F]FAZA in a more selected patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Banerjee
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 825 Eastlake Ave E, LG-650, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
| | - Victoria Wang
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chiung-Yu Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Divita Pandita
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michelle K Leonard
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Siobhan LaRue
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael Ahmadi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lawrence Kaplan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Weiyun Z Ai
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bita Fakhri
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael Spinner
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Madhav Rao Seshadri
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Miguel Hernandez Pampaloni
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Charalambos Babis Andreadis
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Bandopadhyay S, Patranabis S. Mechanisms of HIF-driven immunosuppression in tumour microenvironment. J Egypt Natl Canc Inst 2023; 35:27. [PMID: 37646847 DOI: 10.1186/s43046-023-00186-z] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia arises due to insufficient oxygen delivery to rapidly proliferating tumour cells that outpace the available blood supply. It is a characteristic feature of most solid tumour microenvironments and plays a critical role in regulating anti-tumour immunity, enhancing tumoral heterogeneity, and promoting therapeutic resistance and poor clinical outcomes. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are the major hypoxia-responsive transcription factors that are activated under low oxygenation conditions and have been identified to drive multifunctional roles in tumour immune evasion. The HIF signalling network serves as an attractive target for targeted therapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most crucial mechanisms by which HIF controls the expression of immunosuppressive molecules and immune checkpoints, disrupts cancer immunogenicity, and induces immunotherapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Somi Patranabis
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Quan Y, He J, Zou Q, Zhang L, Sun Q, Huang H, Li W, Xie K, Wei F. Low molecular weight heparin synergistically enhances the efficacy of adoptive and anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy by increasing lymphocyte infiltration in colorectal cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007080. [PMID: 37597850 PMCID: PMC10441131 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007080] [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: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy, including adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has a limited effect in most patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), and the efficacy is further limited in patients with liver metastasis. Lack of antitumor lymphocyte infiltration could be a major cause, and there remains an urgent need for more potent and safer therapies for CRC. METHODS In this study, the antitumoral synergism of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) combined with immunotherapy in the microsatellite stable (MSS) highly aggressive murine model of CRC was fully evaluated. RESULTS Dual LMWH and ACT objectively mediated the stagnation of tumor growth and inhibition of liver metastasis, neither LMWH nor ACT alone had any antitumoral activity on them. The combination of LMWH and ACT obviously increased the infiltration of intratumor CD8+ T cells, as revealed by multiplex immunohistochemistry, purified CD8+ T-cell transfer assay, and IVIM in vivo imaging. Mechanistically, evaluation of changes in the tumor microenvironment revealed that LMWH improved tumor vascular normalization and facilitated the trafficking of activated CD8+ T cells into tumors. Similarly, LMWH combined with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy provided superior antitumor activity as compared with the single PD-1 blockade in murine CT26 tumor models. CONCLUSIONS LMWH could enhance ACT and ICIs-based immunotherapy by increasing lymphocyte infiltration into tumors, especially cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. These results indicate that combining LMWH with an immunotherapy strategy presents a promising and safe approach for CRC treatment, especially in MSS tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Quan
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie He
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Immunology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Zou
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Immunology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liuxi Zhang
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Immunology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qihui Sun
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Immunology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongli Huang
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanglin Li
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Keping Xie
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Immunology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Wei
- Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital, South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Department of Immunology, The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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Antonarakis ES, Park SH, Goh JC, Shin SJ, Lee JL, Mehra N, McDermott R, Sala-Gonzalez N, Fong PC, Greil R, Retz M, Sade JP, Yanez P, Huang YH, Begbie SD, Gafanov RA, De Santis M, Rosenbaum E, Kolinsky MP, Rey F, Chiu KY, Roubaud G, Kramer G, Sumitomo M, Massari F, Suzuki H, Qiu P, Zhang J, Kim J, Poehlein CH, Yu EY. Pembrolizumab Plus Olaparib for Patients With Previously Treated and Biomarker-Unselected Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III KEYLYNK-010 Trial. J Clin Oncol 2023; 41:3839-3850. [PMID: 37290035 PMCID: PMC10419579 DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE There is an unmet need for therapeutic options that prolong survival for patients with heavily pretreated, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The phase III, open-label KEYLYNK-010 study evaluated pembrolizumab plus olaparib versus a next-generation hormonal agent (NHA) for biomarker-unselected, previously treated mCRPC. METHODS Eligible participants had mCRPC that progressed on or after abiraterone or enzalutamide (but not both) and docetaxel. Participants were randomly assigned (2:1) to pembrolizumab plus olaparib or NHA (abiraterone or enzalutamide). The dual primary end points were radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) by blinded independent central review per Prostate Cancer Working Group-modified RECIST 1.1 and overall survival (OS). Time to first subsequent therapy (TFST) was a key secondary end point. Safety and objective response rate (ORR) were secondary end points. RESULTS Between May 30, 2019, and July 16, 2021, 529 participants were randomly assigned to pembrolizumab plus olaparib and 264 to NHA. At final rPFS analysis, median rPFS was 4.4 months (95% CI, 4.2 to 6.0) with pembrolizumab plus olaparib and 4.2 months (95% CI, 4.0 to 6.1) with NHA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.02 [95% CI, 0.82 to 1.25]; P = .55). At final OS analysis, median OS was 15.8 months (95% CI, 14.6 to 17.0) and 14.6 months (95% CI, 12.6 to 17.3), respectively (HR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.77 to 1.14]; P = .26). At final TFST analysis, median TFST was 7.2 months (95% CI, 6.7 to 8.1) versus 5.7 months (95% CI, 5.0 to 7.1), respectively (HR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.71 to 1.03]). ORR was higher with pembrolizumab plus olaparib versus NHA (16.8% v 5.9%). Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 34.6% and 9.0% of participants, respectively. CONCLUSION Pembrolizumab plus olaparib did not significantly improve rPFS or OS versus NHA in participants with biomarker-unselected, heavily pretreated mCRPC. The study was stopped for futility. No new safety signals occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel S. Antonarakis
- Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD
- Current Address: University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Se Hoon Park
- Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Sang Joon Shin
- Severance Hospital Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae Lyun Lee
- Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Niven Mehra
- Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ray McDermott
- St Vincent's University Hospital, Cancer Trials Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Peter C. Fong
- Auckland City Hospital, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard Greil
- Salzburg Cancer Research Institute-CCCIT Gmbh, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Margitta Retz
- Rechts der Isar Medical Center, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Patricio Yanez
- James Lind Cancer Research Center, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Yi-Hsiu Huang
- Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Maria De Santis
- Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin—Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
- Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Kun-Yuan Chiu
- Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Gero Kramer
- Department of Urology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Francesco Massari
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Evan Y. Yu
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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Al-Rashidi RR, Noraldeen SAM, Kareem AK, Mahmoud AK, Kadhum WR, Ramírez-Coronel AA, Iswanto AH, Obaid RF, Jalil AT, Mustafa YF, Nabavi N, Wang Y, Wang L. Malignant function of nuclear factor-kappaB axis in prostate cancer: Molecular interactions and regulation by non-coding RNAs. Pharmacol Res 2023; 194:106775. [PMID: 37075872 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Prostate carcinoma is a malignant situation that arises from genomic alterations in the prostate, leading to changes in tumorigenesis. The NF-κB pathway modulates various biological mechanisms, including inflammation and immune responses. Dysregulation of NF-κB promotes carcinogenesis, including increased proliferation, invasion, and therapy resistance. As an incurable disease globally, prostate cancer is a significant health concern, and research into genetic mutations and NF-κB function has the efficacy to facilitate the introduction of novel therapies. NF-κB upregulation is observed during prostate cancer progression, resulting in increased cell cycle progression and proliferation rates. Additionally, NF-κB endorses resistance to cell death and enhances the capacity for metastasis, particularly bone metastasis. Overexpression of NF-κB triggers chemoresistance and radio-resistance, and inhibition of NF-κB by anti-tumor compounds can reduce cancer progression. Interestingly, non-coding RNA transcripts can regulate NF-κB level and its nuclear transfer, offering a potential avenue for modulating prostate cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ali Kamil Kareem
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Al-Mustaqbal University College, 51001, Hillah, Iraq
| | | | - Wesam R Kadhum
- Department of Pharmacy, Kut University College, Kut 52001, Wasit, Iraq
| | - Andrés Alexis Ramírez-Coronel
- Azogues Campus Nursing Career, Health and Behavior Research Group (HBR), Psychometry and Ethology Laboratory, Catholic University of Cuenca, Ecuador; University of Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Epidemiology and Biostatistics Research Group, CES University, Colombia
| | - Acim Heri Iswanto
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, University of Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Rasha Fadhel Obaid
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Abduladheem Turki Jalil
- Medical Laboratory Technology Department, College of Medical Technology, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
| | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul 41001, Iraq
| | - Noushin Nabavi
- Department of Urologic Sciences and Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, V6H3Z6 Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Department of Urologic Sciences and Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, V6H3Z6 Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Institute, V5Z1L3 Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, Xijing Hospital, The Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
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Li T, Qian X, Liu J, Xue F, Luo J, Yao G, Yan J, Liu X, Xiao B, Li J. Radiotherapy plus immune checkpoint inhibitor in prostate cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1210673. [PMID: 37546397 PMCID: PMC10403272 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1210673] [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: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is a promising strategy for treating cancer. However, the efficiency of ICI monotherapy is limited, which could be mainly attributed to the tumor microenvironment of the "cold" tumor. Prostate cancer, a type of "cold" cancer, is the most common cancer affecting men's health. Radiotherapy is regarded as one of the most effective prostate cancer treatments. In the era of immune therapy, the enhanced antigen presentation and immune cell infiltration caused by radiotherapy might boost the therapeutic efficacy of ICI. Here, the rationale of radiotherapy combined with ICI was reviewed. Also, the scheme of radiotherapy combined with immune checkpoint blockades was suggested as a potential option to improve the outcome of patients with prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjie Li
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Urology, Beijing Tsinghua Changung Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xinye Qian
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyang Liu
- School of Medical, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Xue
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Guanqun Yao
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Yan
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Urology, Beijing Tsinghua Changung Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxing Li
- Department of Urology, Beijing Tsinghua Changung Hospital, Beijing, China
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Benoit A, Vogin G, Duhem C, Berchem G, Janji B. Lighting Up the Fire in the Microenvironment of Cold Tumors: A Major Challenge to Improve Cancer Immunotherapy. Cells 2023; 12:1787. [PMID: 37443821 PMCID: PMC10341162 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy includes immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) such as antibodies targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) or the programmed cell death protein/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis. Experimental and clinical evidence show that immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) provides long-term survival benefits to cancer patients in whom other conventional therapies have failed. However, only a minority of patients show high clinical benefits via the use of ICI alone. One of the major factors limiting the clinical benefits to ICI can be attributed to the lack of immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment. Such tumors are classified as "cold/warm" or an immune "desert"; those displaying significant infiltration are considered "hot" or inflamed. This review will provide a brief summary of different tumor properties contributing to the establishment of cold tumors and describe major strategies that could reprogram non-inflamed cold tumors into inflamed hot tumors. More particularly, we will describe how targeting hypoxia can induce metabolic reprogramming that results in improving and extending the benefit of ICI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Benoit
- Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.B.); (G.B.)
| | - Guillaume Vogin
- Centre National de Radiothérapie François Baclesse, L-4005 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg;
- Ingénierie Moléculaire et Physiopathologie Articulaire (IMoPA), Université de Lorraine—UMR 7365, 54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Caroline Duhem
- Department of Hemato-Oncology, Centre Hospitalier du Luxembourg, L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg;
| | - Guy Berchem
- Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.B.); (G.B.)
- Department of Hemato-Oncology, Centre Hospitalier du Luxembourg, L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg;
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, L-4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Bassam Janji
- Tumor Immunotherapy and Microenvironment (TIME) Group, Department of Cancer Research, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.B.); (G.B.)
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Galluzzi L, Aryankalayil MJ, Coleman CN, Formenti SC. Emerging evidence for adapting radiotherapy to immunotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023:10.1038/s41571-023-00782-x. [PMID: 37280366 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00782-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the clinical management of many malignancies but is infrequently associated with durable objective responses when used as a standalone treatment approach, calling for the development of combinatorial regimens with superior efficacy and acceptable toxicity. Radiotherapy, the most commonly used oncological treatment, has attracted considerable attention as a combination partner for immunotherapy owing to its well-known and predictable safety profile, widespread clinical availability, and potential for immunostimulatory effects. However, numerous randomized clinical trials investigating radiotherapy-immunotherapy combinations have failed to demonstrate a therapeutic benefit compared with either modality alone. Such a lack of interaction might reflect suboptimal study design, choice of end points and/or administration of radiotherapy according to standard schedules and target volumes. Indeed, radiotherapy has empirically evolved towards radiation doses and fields that enable maximal cancer cell killing with manageable toxicity to healthy tissues, without much consideration of potential radiation-induced immunostimulatory effects. Herein, we propose the concept that successful radiotherapy-immunotherapy combinations might require modifications of standard radiotherapy regimens and target volumes to optimally sustain immune fitness and enhance the antitumour immune response in support of meaningful clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Galluzzi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Molykutty J Aryankalayil
- Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - C Norman Coleman
- Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Silvia C Formenti
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
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Li W, Pan X, Chen L, Cui H, Mo S, Pan Y, Shen Y, Shi M, Wu J, Luo F, Liu J, Li N. Cell metabolism-based optimization strategy of CAR-T cell function in cancer therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1186383. [PMID: 37342333 PMCID: PMC10278966 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1186383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells has revolutionized the field of immune-oncology, showing remarkable efficacy against hematological malignancies. However, its success in solid tumors is limited by factors such as easy recurrence and poor efficacy. The effector function and persistence of CAR-T cells are critical to the success of therapy and are modulated by metabolic and nutrient-sensing mechanisms. Moreover, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by acidity, hypoxia, nutrient depletion, and metabolite accumulation caused by the high metabolic demands of tumor cells, can lead to T cell "exhaustion" and compromise the efficacy of CAR-T cells. In this review, we outline the metabolic characteristics of T cells at different stages of differentiation and summarize how these metabolic programs may be disrupted in the TME. We also discuss potential metabolic approaches to improve the efficacy and persistence of CAR-T cells, providing a new strategy for the clinical application of CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshuai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuanxuan Pan
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lirong Chen
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoshu Cui
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaocong Mo
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yida Pan
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuru Shen
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Menglin Shi
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianlin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Feifei Luo
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao, Macao SAR, China
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