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Breitenecker K, Heiden D, Demmer T, Weber G, Primorac AM, Hedrich V, Ortmayr G, Gruenberger T, Starlinger P, Herndler-Brandstetter D, Barozzi I, Mikulits W. Tumor-Extrinsic Axl Expression Shapes an Inflammatory Microenvironment Independent of Tumor Cell Promoting Axl Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4202. [PMID: 38673795 PMCID: PMC11050718 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084202] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl by Gas6 is a major driver of tumorigenesis. Despite recent insights, tumor cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic Axl functions are poorly understood in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, we analyzed the cell-specific aspects of Axl in liver cancer cells and in the tumor microenvironment. We show that tumor-intrinsic Axl expression decreased the survival of mice and elevated the number of pulmonary metastases in a model of resection-based tumor recurrence. Axl expression increased the invasion of hepatospheres by the activation of Akt signaling and a partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the liver tumor burden of Axl+/+ mice induced by diethylnitrosamine plus carbon tetrachloride was reduced compared to systemic Axl-/- mice. Tumors of Axl+/+ mice were highly infiltrated with cytotoxic cells, suggesting a key immune-modulatory role of Axl. Interestingly, hepatocyte-specific Axl deficiency did not alter T cell infiltration, indicating that these changes are independent of tumor cell-intrinsic Axl. In this context, we observed an upregulation of multiple chemokines in Axl+/+ compared to Axl-/- tumors, correlating with HCC patient data. In line with this, Axl is associated with a cytotoxic immune signature in HCC patients. Together these data show that tumor-intrinsic Axl expression fosters progression, while tumor-extrinsic Axl expression shapes an inflammatory microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Breitenecker
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Denise Heiden
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Tobias Demmer
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Gerhard Weber
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Ana-Maria Primorac
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Viola Hedrich
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Gregor Ortmayr
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Thomas Gruenberger
- Department of Surgery, HPB Center, Viennese Health Network, Clinic Favoriten and Sigmund Freud Private University, 1100 Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Starlinger
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Centre of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dietmar Herndler-Brandstetter
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Iros Barozzi
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
| | - Wolfgang Mikulits
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria (D.H.); (T.D.); (G.W.); (V.H.); (G.O.); (D.H.-B.); (I.B.)
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Manesia JK, Maganti HB, Almoflehi S, Jahan S, Hasan T, Pasha R, McGregor C, Dumont N, Laganière J, Audet J, Pineault N. AA2P-mediated DNA demethylation synergizes with stem cell agonists to promote expansion of hematopoietic stem cells. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100663. [PMID: 38070507 PMCID: PMC10783628 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Small molecules have enabled expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), but limited knowledge is available on whether these agonists can act synergistically. In this work, we identify a stem cell agonist in AA2P and optimize a series of stem cell agonist cocktails (SCACs) to help promote robust expansion of human HSPCs. We find that SCACs provide strong growth-promoting activities while promoting retention and function of immature HSPC. We show that AA2P-mediated HSPC expansion is driven through DNA demethylation leading to enhanced expression of AXL and GAS6. Further, we demonstrate that GAS6 enhances the serial engraftment activity of HSPCs and show that the GAS6/AXL pathway is critical for robust HSPC expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed K Manesia
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Harinad B Maganti
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sakhar Almoflehi
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Suria Jahan
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tanvir Hasan
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Roya Pasha
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Chelsea McGregor
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Julie Audet
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pineault
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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3
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Zhai X, Pu D, Wang R, Zhang J, Lin Y, Wang Y, Zhai N, Peng X, Zhou Q, Li L. Gas6/AXL pathway: immunological landscape and therapeutic potential. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1121130. [PMID: 37265798 PMCID: PMC10231434 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1121130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a disease with ecological and evolutionary unity, which seriously affects the survival and quality of human beings. Currently, many reports have suggested Gas6 plays an important role in cancer. Binding of gas6 to TAM receptors is associated with the carcinogenetic mechanisms of multiple malignancies, such as in breast cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, etc., and shortened overall survival. It is accepted that the Gas6/TAM pathway can promote the malignant transformation of various types of cancer cells. Gas6 has the highest affinity for Axl, an important member of the TAM receptor family. Knockdown of the TAM receptors Axl significantly affects cell cycle progression in tumor cells. Interestingly, Gas6 also has an essential function in the tumor microenvironment. The Gas6/AXL pathway regulates angiogenesis, immune-related molecular markers and the secretion of certain cytokines in the tumor microenvironment, and also modulates the functions of a variety of immune cells. In addition, evidence suggests that the Gas6/AXL pathway is involved in tumor therapy resistance. Recently, multiple studies have begun to explore in depth the importance of the Gas6/AXL pathway as a potential tumor therapeutic target as well as its broad promise in immunotherapy; therefore, a timely review of the characteristics of the Gas6/AXL pathway and its value in tumor treatment strategies is warranted. This comprehensive review assessed the roles of Gas6 and AXL receptors and their associated pathways in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, summarized the impact of Gas6/AXL on the tumor microenvironment, and highlighted the recent research progress on the relationship between Gas6/AXL and cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Zhai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dan Pu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rulan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiabi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Yiyun Lin
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ni Zhai
- Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit, The 987th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Baoji, Shanxi, China
| | - Xuan Peng
- Department of Pathophysiology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Boytz R, Słabicki M, Ramaswamy S, Patten J, Zou C, Meng C, Hurst BL, Wang J, Nowak RP, Yang PL, Sattler M, Stone RM, Griffin JD, Gray NS, Gummuluru S, Davey RA, Weisberg E. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of targeted kinase inhibitors: Repurposing clinically available drugs for COVID-19 therapy. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28157. [PMID: 36117402 PMCID: PMC9538324 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a major public health concern, and vaccine unavailability, hesitancy, or failure underscore the need for discovery of efficacious antiviral drug therapies. Numerous approved drugs target protein kinases associated with viral life cycle and symptoms of infection. Repurposing of kinase inhibitors is appealing as they have been vetted for safety and are more accessible for COVID-19 treatment. However, an understanding of drug mechanism is needed to improve our understanding of the factors involved in pathogenesis. We tested the in vitro activity of three kinase inhibitors against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including inhibitors of AXL kinase, a host cell factor that contributes to successful SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using multiple cell-based assays and approaches, gilteritinib, nintedanib, and imatinib were thoroughly evaluated for activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants. Each drug exhibited antiviral activity, but with stark differences in potency, suggesting differences in host dependency for kinase targets. Importantly, for gilteritinib, the amount of compound needed to achieve 90% infection inhibition, at least in part involving blockade of spike protein-mediated viral entry and at concentrations not inducing phospholipidosis (PLD), approached a clinically achievable concentration. Knockout of AXL, a target of gilteritinib and nintedanib, impaired SARS-CoV-2 variant infectivity, supporting a role for AXL in SARS-CoV-2 infection and supporting further investigation of drug-mediated AXL inhibition as a COVID-19 treatment. This study supports further evaluation of AXL-targeting kinase inhibitors as potential antiviral agents and treatments for COVID-19. Additional mechanistic studies are needed to determine underlying differences in virus response.
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Affiliation(s)
- RuthMabel Boytz
- Department of Microbiology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Mikołaj Słabicki
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sita Ramaswamy
- Department of Microbiology, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - J.J. Patten
- Department of Microbiology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Charles Zou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chengcheng Meng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brett L. Hurst
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Radosław P. Nowak
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Priscilla L. Yang
- Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MA, USA,Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; current address Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Martin Sattler
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard M. Stone
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James D. Griffin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathanael S. Gray
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Robert A. Davey
- Department of Microbiology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Ellen Weisberg
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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5
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Sánchez Martínez D, Tirado N, Mensurado S, Martínez-Moreno A, Romecín P, Gutiérrez Agüera F, Correia DV, Silva-Santos B, Menéndez P. Generation and proof-of-concept for allogeneic CD123 CAR-Delta One T (DOT) cells in acute myeloid leukemia. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005400. [PMID: 36162920 PMCID: PMC9516293 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have emerged as a breakthrough treatment for relapse/refractory hematological tumors, showing impressive complete remission rates. However, around 50% of the patients relapse before 1-year post-treatment. T-cell ‘fitness’ is critical to prolong CAR-T persistence and activity. Allogeneic T cells from healthy donors are less dysfunctional or exhausted than autologous patient-derived T cells; in this context, Delta One T cells (DOTs), a recently described cellular product based on MHC/HLA-independent Vδ1+γδ T cells, represent a promising allogeneic platform. Methods Here we generated and preclinically validated, for the first time, 4-1BB-based CAR-DOTs directed against the interleukin-3α chain receptor (CD123), a target antigen widely expressed on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts. Results CD123CAR-DOTs showed vigorous, superior to control DOTs, cytotoxicity against AML cell lines and primary samples both in vitro and in vivo, even on tumor rechallenge. Conclusions Our results provide the proof-of-concept for a DOT-based next-generation allogeneic CAR-T therapy for AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sánchez Martínez
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain .,Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) (RICORS, RD21/0017/0029)
| | - Néstor Tirado
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) (RICORS, RD21/0017/0029)
| | - Sofia Mensurado
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alba Martínez-Moreno
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) (RICORS, RD21/0017/0029)
| | - Paola Romecín
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) (RICORS, RD21/0017/0029)
| | - Francisco Gutiérrez Agüera
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) (RICORS, RD21/0017/0029)
| | - Daniel V Correia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Bruno Silva-Santos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pablo Menéndez
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain .,Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas (TERAV) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII) (RICORS, RD21/0017/0029).,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Oncología (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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Engelsen AST, Lotsberg ML, Abou Khouzam R, Thiery JP, Lorens JB, Chouaib S, Terry S. Dissecting the Role of AXL in Cancer Immune Escape and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869676. [PMID: 35572601 PMCID: PMC9092944 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development and implementation of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) in clinical oncology have significantly improved the survival of a subset of cancer patients with metastatic disease previously considered uniformly lethal. However, the low response rates and the low number of patients with durable clinical responses remain major concerns and underscore the limited understanding of mechanisms regulating anti-tumor immunity and tumor immune resistance. There is an urgent unmet need for novel approaches to enhance the efficacy of ICI in the clinic, and for predictive tools that can accurately predict ICI responders based on the composition of their tumor microenvironment. The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) AXL has been associated with poor prognosis in numerous malignancies and the emergence of therapy resistance. AXL is a member of the TYRO3-AXL-MERTK (TAM) kinase family. Upon binding to its ligand GAS6, AXL regulates cell signaling cascades and cellular communication between various components of the tumor microenvironment, including cancer cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. Converging evidence points to AXL as an attractive molecular target to overcome therapy resistance and immunosuppression, supported by the potential of AXL inhibitors to improve ICI efficacy. Here, we review the current literature on the prominent role of AXL in regulating cancer progression, with particular attention to its effects on anti-tumor immune response and resistance to ICI. We discuss future directions with the aim to understand better the complex role of AXL and TAM receptors in cancer and the potential value of this knowledge and targeted inhibition for the benefit of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnete S. T. Engelsen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria L. Lotsberg
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Raefa Abou Khouzam
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jean-Paul Thiery
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
| | - James B. Lorens
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Stéphane Terry
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Research Department, Inovarion, Paris, France
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7
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Natural Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Relieves Acute Inflammation in Gout Patients by Changing the Function of Macrophages. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING 2022; 2022:9241835. [PMID: 35646298 PMCID: PMC9132716 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9241835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Gout is a common arthritis caused by deposition of monosodium urate crystals. Macrophage is crucial in the process of monosodium urate (MSU)-induced inflammation. Although it has been reported that adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in nature can be used to cure urarthritis, the mechanism concerning macrophage is still not clear. However, gout patients manifest other complications, such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and hormone intolerance, which limit efficacy of some of these first-line drugs. Therefore, this study aims to explore how natural ACTH can alleviate urarthritis through functional changes in macrophage. We analyzed the variations in VAS pain scores of five patients, knowing the time of action and detecting the level of cortisol and ACTH in patients 24 hours after the application of ACTH. The effect of natural ACTH on joint inflammation and the level of cortisol in blood in the mouse model was evaluated by studies in vivo. In vitro studies, we evaluated the effect of natural ACTH on macrophages and revealed different functions of ACTH and dexamethasone on macrophages in the transcriptional level. In patients with acute gout, natural ACTH can quickly alleviate pain and does not affect the level of cortisol and ACTH. Natural ACTH is able to ease the swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration caused by arthritis, without changing the level of cortisol. Besides, natural ACTH in vitro can alleviate acute gouty inflammation by regulating phagocytosis and polarization of macrophage, which also exerts different effects on the transcription of some related genes. Natural ACTH is able to alleviate acute gouty inflammation by regulating macrophage, and this effect differs from that of dexamethasone at the transcriptional level.
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8
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Durán I, Castellano D, Puente J, Martín-Couce L, Bello E, Anido U, Mas JM, Costa L. Exploring the synergistic effects of cabozantinib and a programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor in metastatic renal cell carcinoma with machine learning. Oncotarget 2022; 13:237-256. [PMID: 35106125 PMCID: PMC8794707 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical evidence supports the combination of cabozantinib with an immune checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) and suggests a synergistic antitumour activity of this combination. Nevertheless, the biological basis of this synergy is not fully characterized. We studied the mechanisms underpinning the potential synergism of cabozantinib combined with a PD1 inhibitor in mccRCC and delved into cabozantinib monotherapy properties supporting its role to partner these combinations. To model physiological drug action, we used a machine learning-based technology known as Therapeutic Performance Mapping Systems, applying two approaches: Artificial Neural Networks and Sampling Methods. We found that the combined therapy was predicted to exert a wide therapeutic action in the tumour and the microenvironment. Cabozantinib may enhance the effects of PD1 inhibitors on immunosurveillance by modulating the innate and adaptive immune system, through the inhibition of VEGF-VEGFR and Gas6-AXL/TYRO3/MER (TAM) axes, while the PD1 inhibitors may boost the antiangiogenic and pro-apoptotic effects of cabozantinib by modulating angiogenesis and T-cell cytotoxicity. Cabozantinib alone was predicted to restore cellular adhesion and hamper tumour proliferation and invasion. These data provide a biological rationale and further support for cabozantinib plus PD1 inhibitor combination and may guide future nonclinical and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Durán
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
| | - Daniel Castellano
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Puente
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lidia Martín-Couce
- IPSEN, Planta 7, Torre Realia, L’hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Bello
- IPSEN, Planta 7, Torre Realia, L’hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Urbano Anido
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Clinic Hospital of Santiago, Health Research Institute (IDIS), ONCOMET, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | - Luis Costa
- Oncology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular-João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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9
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Abstract
Extensive interest in cancer immunotherapy is reported according to the clinical importance of CTLA-4 and (PD-1/PD-L1) [programmed death (PD) and programmed death-ligand (PD-L1)] in immune checkpoint therapies. AXL is a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed in different types of cancer and in relation to resistance against various anticancer therapeutics due to poor clinical prognosis. AXL and its ligand, i.e., growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) proteins, are expressed on many cancer cells, and the GAS6/AXL pathway is reported to promote cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. AXL is an attractive and novel therapeutic target for impairing tumor progression from immune cell contracts in the tumor microenvironment. The GAS6/AXL pathway is also of interest immunologically because it targets fewer antitumor immune responses. In effect, several targeted therapies are selective and nonselective for AXL, which are in preclinical and clinical development in multiple cancer types. Therefore, this review focuses on the role of the GAS6/AXL signaling pathway in triggering the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment as immune evasion. This includes regulating its composition and activating T-cell exclusion with the immune-suppressive activity of regulatory T cells, which is related to one of the hallmarks of cancer survival. Finally, this article discusses the GAS6/AXL signaling pathway in the context of several immune responses such as NK cell activation, apoptosis, and tumor-specific immunity, especially PD-1/PDL-1 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Youn Son
- Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Center for Medical Innovation, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hwan-Kyu Jeong
- School of Biosystems and Biomedical Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
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10
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Intrinsic and Extrinsic Control of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by TAM Receptors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215448. [PMID: 34771611 PMCID: PMC8582520 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK are receptor tyrosine kinases of the TAM family, which are activated by their ligands Gas6 and Protein S. TAM receptors have large physiological implications, including the removal of dead cells, activation of immune cells, and prevention of bleeding. In the last decade, TAM receptors have been suggested to play a relevant role in liver fibrogenesis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The understanding of TAM receptor functions in tumor cells and their cellular microenvironment is of utmost importance to advances in novel therapeutic strategies that conquer chronic liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype of liver cancer, showing high mortality of patients due to limited therapeutic options at advanced stages of disease. The receptor tyrosine kinases Tyro3, Axl and MerTK—belonging to the TAM family—exert a large impact on various aspects of cancer biology. Binding of the ligands Gas6 or Protein S activates TAM receptors causing homophilic dimerization and heterophilic interactions with other receptors to modulate effector functions. In this context, TAM receptors are major regulators of anti-inflammatory responses and vessel integrity, including platelet aggregation as well as resistance to chemotherapy. In this review, we discuss the relevance of TAM receptors in the intrinsic control of HCC progression by modulating epithelial cell plasticity and by promoting metastatic traits of neoplastic hepatocytes. Depending on different etiologies of HCC, we further describe the overt role of TAM receptors in the extrinsic control of HCC progression by focusing on immune cell infiltration and fibrogenesis. Additionally, we assess TAM receptor functions in the chemoresistance against clinically used tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade in HCC progression. We finally address the question of whether inhibition of TAM receptors can be envisaged for novel therapeutic strategies in HCC.
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11
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Gingrich AA, Kirane AR. Novel Targets in Melanoma: Intralesional and Combination Therapy to Manipulate the Immune Response. Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2021; 29:467-483. [PMID: 32482321 DOI: 10.1016/j.soc.2020.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Clinical outcomes for metastatic melanoma have been dramatically altered by recent developments in immunotherapy and targeted strategies, but response to these therapies is not uniform, the majority of patients do not respond, and clinical response can be self-limited. Current directions in melanoma treatment aim to leverage a combination of therapies for tumors refractory to monoimmunotherapy, to include tumor-directed strategies, such as intralesional therapy and inhibitors designed for novel targets, which may augment current systemic agents when used in combination. Here, we summarize new classes of agents and emerging multimodal combination strategies that demonstrate significant promise in future melanoma management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia A Gingrich
- Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, 4501 X Street, Suite 3010, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Amanda R Kirane
- Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, 4501 X Street, Suite 3010, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
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12
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Lu T, Ma R, Li Z, Mansour AG, Teng KY, Chen L, Zhang J, Barr T, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Hijacking TYRO3 from Tumor Cells via Trogocytosis Enhances NK-Cell Effector Functions and Proliferation. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:1229-1241. [PMID: 34326137 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-1014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Trogocytosis is a fast, cell-cell contact-dependent uptake of membrane patches and associated molecules by one cell from another. Here, we report our investigation of trogocytosis of TYRO3, a cell membrane protein, from tumor target cells to natural killer (NK) cells and the associated functional consequences for NK cells. We found that although NK cells did not express endogenous TYRO3 on the cell surface, activated NK cells rapidly acquired TYRO3 from tumor cells via trogocytosis in vitro and in vivo. NK cells that acquired TYRO3, which we termed TYRO3+ NK cells, had significantly enhanced cytotoxicity and IFNγ production as well as higher expression of some activated surface markers compared with TYRO3- NK cells. Furthermore, the activation status of NK cells and TYRO3 expression levels on donor cells, either endogenous or ectopic, positively correlated with trogocytosis levels. When the antigen-presenting cell (APC) K562 leukemia cell line, a feeder cell line to expand NK cells, overexpressed TYRO3, TYRO3 was transferred to NK cells via trogocytosis, which improved NK-cell proliferation ex vivo. This provides a strategy to manufacture NK cells or their engineered counterparts, such as chimeric antigen receptor NK cells, for the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Lu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Rui Ma
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Zhenlong Li
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Anthony G Mansour
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kun-Yu Teng
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Tasha Barr
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. .,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.,Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. .,Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California.,Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
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13
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Glinton K, DeBerge M, Fisher E, Schroth S, Sinha A, Wang JJ, Wasserstrom JA, Ansari MJ, Zhang ZJ, Feinstein M, Leventhal JR, Forbess JM, Lomasney J, Luo X, Thorp EB. Bone marrow-derived AXL tyrosine kinase promotes mitogenic crosstalk and cardiac allograft vasculopathy. J Heart Lung Transplant 2021; 40:435-446. [PMID: 33846079 PMCID: PMC8169599 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy (CAV) is a leading contributor to late transplant rejection. Although implicated, the mechanisms by which bone marrow-derived cells promote CAV remain unclear. Emerging evidence implicates the cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase AXL to be elevated in rejecting human allografts. AXL protein is found on multiple cell types, including bone marrow-derived myeloid cells. The causal role of AXL from this compartment and during transplant is largely unknown. This is important because AXL is a key regulator of myeloid inflammation. Utilizing experimental chimeras deficient in the bone marrow-derived Axl gene, we report that Axl antagonizes cardiac allograft survival and promotes CAV. Flow cytometric and histologic analyses of Axl-deficient transplant recipients revealed reductions in both allograft immune cell accumulation and vascular intimal thickness. Co-culture experiments designed to identify cell-intrinsic functions of Axl uncovered complementary cell-proliferative pathways by which Axl promotes CAV-associated inflammation. Specifically, Axl-deficient myeloid cells were less efficient at increasing the replication of both antigen-specific T cells and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), the latter a key hallmark of CAV. For the latter, we discovered that Axl-was required to amass the VSMC mitogen Platelet-Derived Growth Factor. Taken together, our studies reveal a new role for myeloid Axl in the progression of CAV and mitogenic crosstalk. Inhibition of AXL-protein, in combination with current standards of care, is a candidate strategy to prolong cardiac allograft survival.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Animals
- Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism
- Bone Marrow Cells/pathology
- Cell Proliferation
- Cells, Cultured
- Disease Models, Animal
- Echocardiography
- Flow Cytometry
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Graft Rejection/diagnosis
- Graft Rejection/genetics
- Graft Rejection/metabolism
- Graft Survival
- Heart Transplantation/adverse effects
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/pathology
- Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism
- Myocytes, Cardiac/pathology
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/biosynthesis
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics
- RNA/genetics
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/biosynthesis
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics
- Transplantation, Homologous
- Axl Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristofor Glinton
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Matthew DeBerge
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Emily Fisher
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Samantha Schroth
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Arjun Sinha
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jiao-Jing Wang
- The Comprehensive Transplant Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - J Andrew Wasserstrom
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mohammed Javeed Ansari
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zheng Jenny Zhang
- The Comprehensive Transplant Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Matthew Feinstein
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Joseph R Leventhal
- The Comprehensive Transplant Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Jon Lomasney
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Xunrong Luo
- The Department of Nephrology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Edward B Thorp
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; The Heart Center, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.
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14
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Aehnlich P, Powell RM, Peeters MJW, Rahbech A, thor Straten P. TAM Receptor Inhibition-Implications for Cancer and the Immune System. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061195. [PMID: 33801886 PMCID: PMC7998716 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary TAM receptors are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases, comprising Tyro3, Axl and MerTK. Their primary role is in digestion of dying cells by macrophages without alarming the immune system. TAM receptors are also expressed by cancer cells in which signaling is oncogenic, and for this reason there is growing interest and research into TAM inhibition. This approach to cancer treatment may, however, come into conflict with beneficial and costimulatory TAM receptor signaling in T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. The aim of this review is to explore in detail the effects of TAM receptor inhibition on cancer cells and immune cells, and how the ramifications of this inhibition may affect cancer treatment in humans. Abstract Tyro3, Axl and MerTK (TAM) receptors are receptor tyrosine kinases which play important roles in efferocytosis and in the balancing of immune responses and inflammation. TAM receptor activation is induced upon binding of the ligands protein S (Pros1) or growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) which act as bridging molecules for binding of phosphatidyl serine (PtdSer) exposed on apoptotic cell membranes. Upon clearance of apoptotic cell material, TAM receptor activation on innate cells suppresses proinflammatory functions, thereby ensuring the immunologically silent removal of apoptotic material in the absence of deleterious immune responses. However, in T cells, MerTK signaling is costimulatory and promotes activation and functional output of the cell. MerTK and Axl are also aberrantly expressed in a range of both hematological and solid tumor malignancies, including breast, lung, melanoma and acute myeloid leukemia, where they have a role in oncogenic signaling. Consequently, TAM receptors are being investigated as therapeutic targets using small molecule inhibitors and have already demonstrated efficacy in mouse tumor models. Thus, inhibition of TAM signaling in cancer cells could have therapeutic value but given the opposing roles of TAM signaling in innate cells and T cells, TAM inhibition could also jeopardize anticancer immune responses. This conflict is discussed in this review, describing the effects of TAM inhibition on cancer cells as well as immune cells, while also examining the intricate interplay of cancer and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Aehnlich
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
- Correspondence: (P.A.); (R.M.P.); (P.t.S.)
| | - Richard Morgan Powell
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
- Correspondence: (P.A.); (R.M.P.); (P.t.S.)
| | - Marlies J. W. Peeters
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Anne Rahbech
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Per thor Straten
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy (CCIT-DK), Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, 2730 Herlev, Denmark; (M.J.W.P.); (A.R.)
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: (P.A.); (R.M.P.); (P.t.S.)
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15
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Huelse J, Fridlyand D, Earp S, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. MERTK in cancer therapy: Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase in tumor cells and the immune system. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 213:107577. [PMID: 32417270 PMCID: PMC9847360 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK is aberrantly expressed in numerous human malignancies, and is a novel target in cancer therapeutics. Physiologic roles of MERTK include regulation of tissue homeostasis and repair, innate immune control, and platelet aggregation. However, aberrant expression in a wide range of liquid and solid malignancies promotes neoplasia via growth factor independence, cell cycle progression, proliferation and tumor growth, resistance to apoptosis, and promotion of tumor metastases. Additionally, MERTK signaling contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via induction of an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile and regulation of the PD-1 axis, as well as regulation of macrophage, myeloid-derived suppressor cell, natural killer cell and T cell functions. Various MERTK-directed therapies are in preclinical development, and clinical trials are underway. In this review we discuss MERTK inhibition as an emerging strategy for cancer therapy, focusing on MERTK expression and function in neoplasia and its role in mediating resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies as well as in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, we review preclinical and clinical pharmacological strategies to target MERTK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Diana Fridlyand
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Douglas K. Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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16
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Huelse JM, Fridlyand DM, Earp S, DeRyckere D, Graham DK. MERTK in cancer therapy: Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase in tumor cells and the immune system. Pharmacol Ther 2020. [PMID: 32417270 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107577107577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK is aberrantly expressed in numerous human malignancies, and is a novel target in cancer therapeutics. Physiologic roles of MERTK include regulation of tissue homeostasis and repair, innate immune control, and platelet aggregation. However, aberrant expression in a wide range of liquid and solid malignancies promotes neoplasia via growth factor independence, cell cycle progression, proliferation and tumor growth, resistance to apoptosis, and promotion of tumor metastases. Additionally, MERTK signaling contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via induction of an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile and regulation of the PD-1 axis, as well as regulation of macrophage, myeloid-derived suppressor cell, natural killer cell and T cell functions. Various MERTK-directed therapies are in preclinical development, and clinical trials are underway. In this review we discuss MERTK inhibition as an emerging strategy for cancer therapy, focusing on MERTK expression and function in neoplasia and its role in mediating resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies as well as in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, we review preclinical and clinical pharmacological strategies to target MERTK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Diana M Fridlyand
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shelton Earp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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17
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Targeting Signaling Pathways in Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092479. [PMID: 32883032 PMCID: PMC7563157 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), although rare, is the most aggressive type of breast cancer. Only 2-4% of breast cancer cases are classified as IBC, but-owing to its high rate of metastasis and poor prognosis-8% to 10% of breast cancer-related mortality occur in patients with IBC. Currently, IBC-specific targeted therapies are not available, and there is a critical need for novel therapies derived via understanding novel targets. In this review, we summarize the biological functions of critical signaling pathways in the progression of IBC and the preclinical and clinical studies of targeting these pathways in IBC. We also discuss studies of crosstalk between several signaling pathways and the IBC tumor microenvironment.
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18
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Hovey O, Pasha R, Lehmann Z, Pineault N. Insights Into the Hematopoietic Regulatory Activities of Osteoblast by Secretomics. Proteomics 2020; 20:e2000036. [PMID: 32666692 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202000036] [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: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Osteoblasts are a key component of the endosteal hematopoietic stem cell niche and are recognized with strong hematopoietic supporting activity. Similarly, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC)-derived osteoblast (M-OST) conditioned media (OCM) enhance the growth of hematopoietic progenitors in culture and modulate their engraftment activity. This article aims to characterize the hematopoietic supporting activity of OCM by comparing the secretome of M-OST to that of their precursor. Over 300 proteins are quantified by mass spectroscopy in media conditioned with MSC or M-OST, with 47 being differentially expressed. Growth factors, extracellular matrix proteins, and proteins from the complement pathways are included. The functional contribution of selected proteins on the growth and differentiation of cord blood (CB) progenitors is tested. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine and Galectin 3 (Gal3) have little impact on the growth of CB cells in serum-free medium (SFM). In contrast, inhibition of the complement 3A receptor (C3a-R) present on CB progenitors significantly reduces the growth of CD34+ cells in OCM cultures but not in SFM. These results provide new insights into changes in factors released by MSC undergoing osteoblast differentiation, and on paracrine factors that are partially responsible for the hematopoietic supporting activity of osteoblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Hovey
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, 1800 Alta Vista Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
- Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Roya Pasha
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, 1800 Alta Vista Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
- Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Zoe Lehmann
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, 1800 Alta Vista Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
- Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Nicolas Pineault
- Canadian Blood Services, Centre for Innovation, 1800 Alta Vista Dr, Ottawa, ON, K1G 4J5, Canada
- Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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19
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Meza Guzman LG, Keating N, Nicholson SE. Natural Killer Cells: Tumor Surveillance and Signaling. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040952. [PMID: 32290478 PMCID: PMC7226588 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play a pivotal role in cancer immunotherapy due to their innate ability to detect and kill tumorigenic cells. The decision to kill is determined by the expression of a myriad of activating and inhibitory receptors on the NK cell surface. Cell-to-cell engagement results in either self-tolerance or a cytotoxic response, governed by a fine balance between the signaling cascades downstream of the activating and inhibitory receptors. To evade a cytotoxic immune response, tumor cells can modulate the surface expression of receptor ligands and additionally, alter the conditions in the tumor microenvironment (TME), tilting the scales toward a suppressed cytotoxic NK response. To fully harness the killing power of NK cells for clinical benefit, we need to understand what defines the threshold for activation and what is required to break tolerance. This review will focus on the intracellular signaling pathways activated or suppressed in NK cells and the roles signaling intermediates play during an NK cytotoxic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizeth G. Meza Guzman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence: (L.G.M.G.); (S.E.N.); Tel.: +61-9345-2555 (S.E.N.)
| | - Narelle Keating
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Sandra E. Nicholson
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Correspondence: (L.G.M.G.); (S.E.N.); Tel.: +61-9345-2555 (S.E.N.)
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20
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Sodir NM, Kortlever RM, Barthet VJA, Campos T, Pellegrinet L, Kupczak S, Anastasiou P, Swigart LB, Soucek L, Arends MJ, Littlewood TD, Evan GI. MYC Instructs and Maintains Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Phenotype. Cancer Discov 2020; 10:588-607. [PMID: 31941709 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The signature features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are its fibroinflammatory stroma, poor immune activity, and dismal prognosis. We show that acute activation of Myc in indolent pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasm (PanIN) epithelial cells in vivo is, alone, sufficient to trigger immediate release of instructive signals that together coordinate changes in multiple stromal and immune-cell types and drive transition to pancreatic adenocarcinomas that share all the characteristic stromal features of their spontaneous human counterpart. We also demonstrate that this Myc-driven PDAC switch is completely and immediately reversible: Myc deactivation/inhibition triggers meticulous disassembly of advanced PDAC tumor and stroma and concomitant death of tumor cells. Hence, both the formation and deconstruction of the complex PDAC phenotype are continuously dependent on a single, reversible Myc switch. SIGNIFICANCE: We show that Myc activation in indolent Kras G12D-induced PanIN epithelium acts as an immediate pleiotropic switch, triggering tissue-specific signals that instruct all the diverse signature stromal features of spontaneous human PDAC. Subsequent Myc deactivation or inhibition immediately triggers a program that coordinately disassembles PDAC back to PanIN.See related commentary by English and Sears, p. 495.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Sodir
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roderik M Kortlever
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tania Campos
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Pellegrinet
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Kupczak
- Cambridge Research Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lamorna Brown Swigart
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Laura Soucek
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mark J Arends
- Division of Pathology, Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor D Littlewood
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard I Evan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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21
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Peeters MJW, Rahbech A, Thor Straten P. TAM-ing T cells in the tumor microenvironment: implications for TAM receptor targeting. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2020; 69:237-244. [PMID: 31664482 PMCID: PMC7000491 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-019-02421-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The TAM receptors-TYRO3, AXL, MERTK-are pleiotropically expressed receptors in both healthy and diseased tissue. A complex of the ligands Protein S (PROS1) or Growth Arrest-Specific 6 (GAS6) with apoptotic phosphatidylserine activates the TAM receptors. Hence, this receptor family is essential for the efferocytosis of apoptotic material by antigen-presenting cells. In addition, TAM receptors are expressed by virtually all cells of the tumor microenvironment. They are also potent oncogenes, frequently overexpressed in cancer and involved in survival and therapy resistance. Due to their pro-oncogenic and immune-inhibitory traits, TAM receptors have emerged as promising targets for cancer therapy. Recently, TAM receptors have been described to function as costimulatory molecules on human T cells. TAM receptors' ambivalent functions on many different cell types therefore make therapeutic targeting not straight-forward. In this review we summarize our current knowledge of the function of TAM receptors in the tumor microenvironment. We place particular focus on TAM receptors and the recently unraveled role of MERTK in activated T cells and potential consequences for anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies J W Peeters
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anne Rahbech
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Per Thor Straten
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital Herlev, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25C, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Inflammation and Cancer Group, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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22
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Yan S, Vandewalle N, De Beule N, Faict S, Maes K, De Bruyne E, Menu E, Vanderkerken K, De Veirman K. AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase as a Therapeutic Target in Hematological Malignancies: Focus on Multiple Myeloma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1727. [PMID: 31694201 PMCID: PMC6896070 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
AXL belongs to the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) receptor family, a unique subfamily of the receptor tyrosine kinases. Their common ligand is growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS6). The GAS6/TAM signaling pathway regulates many important cell processes and plays an essential role in immunity, hemostasis, and erythropoiesis. In cancer, AXL overexpression and activation has been associated with cell proliferation, chemotherapy resistance, tumor angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis; and has been correlated with a poor prognosis. In hematological malignancies, the expression and function of AXL is highly diverse, not only between the different tumor types but also in the surrounding tumor microenvironment. Most research and clinical evidence has been provided for AXL inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia. However, recent studies also revealed an important role of AXL in lymphoid leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. In this review, we summarize the basic functions of AXL in various cell types and the role of AXL in different hematological cancers, with a focus on AXL in the dormancy of multiple myeloma. In addition, we provide an update on the most promising AXL inhibitors currently in preclinical/clinical evaluation and discuss future perspectives in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyang Yan
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Niels Vandewalle
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Nathan De Beule
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Sylvia Faict
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Ken Maes
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Elke De Bruyne
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Eline Menu
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Karin Vanderkerken
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
| | - Kim De Veirman
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Myeloma Center Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussel, Belgium; (S.Y.); (N.V.); (N.D.B.); (S.F.); (K.M.); (E.D.B.); (E.M.); (K.V.)
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23
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Jimbo T, Hatanaka M, Komatsu T, Taira T, Kumazawa K, Maeda N, Suzuki T, Ota M, Haginoya N, Isoyama T, Fujiwara K. DS-1205b, a novel selective inhibitor of AXL kinase, blocks resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors in a non-small cell lung cancer xenograft model. Oncotarget 2019; 10:5152-5167. [PMID: 31497246 PMCID: PMC6718264 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is involved in signal transduction in malignant cells. Recent studies have shown that the AXL upregulation underlies epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we investigated the effect of DS-1205b, a novel and selective inhibitor of AXL, on tumor growth and resistance to EGFR TKIs. In AXL-overexpressing NIH3T3 cells, DS-1205b potently inhibited hGAS6 ligand-induced migration in vitro and exerted significant antitumor activity in vivo. AXL was upregulated by long-term erlotinib or osimertinib treatment in HCC827 EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells, and DS-1205b treatment in combination with osimertinib or erlotinib effectively inhibited signaling downstream of EGFR in a cell-based assay. In an HCC827 EGFR-mutant NSCLC xenograft mouse model, combination treatment with DS-1205b and erlotinib significantly delayed the onset of tumor resistance compared to erlotinib monotherapy, and DS-1205b restored the antitumor activity of erlotinib in erlotinib-resistant tumors. DS-1205b also delayed the onset of resistance when used in combination with osimertinib in the model. These findings strongly suggest that DS-1205b can prolong the therapeutic benefit of EGFR TKIs in nonclinical as well as clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Jimbo
- Oncology Function, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mana Hatanaka
- Oncology Function, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Tomoe Taira
- Oncology Function, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Kumazawa
- Quality & Safety Management Division, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Maeda
- Oncology Function, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Suzuki
- Biologics Division, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ota
- Research Management Department, Daiichi Sankyo RD Novare Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Kosaku Fujiwara
- Medical Affairs Division, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
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24
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McShane L, Tabas I, Lemke G, Kurowska-Stolarska M, Maffia P. TAM receptors in cardiovascular disease. Cardiovasc Res 2019; 115:1286-1295. [PMID: 30980657 PMCID: PMC6587925 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvz100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The TAM receptors are a distinct family of three receptor tyrosine kinases, namely Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK. Since their discovery in the early 1990s, they have been studied for their ability to influence numerous diseases, including cancer, chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. The TAM receptors demonstrate an ability to influence multiple aspects of cardiovascular pathology via their diverse effects on cells of both the vasculature and the immune system. In this review, we will explore the various functions of the TAM receptors and how they influence cardiovascular disease through regulation of vascular remodelling, efferocytosis and inflammation. Based on this information, we will suggest areas in which further research is required and identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy McShane
- Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davies Building, 120 University Place, Glasgow, UK,Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ira Tabas
- Departments of Medicine, Physiology, and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Greg Lemke
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA,Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mariola Kurowska-Stolarska
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis Centre of Excellence (RACE), Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davies Building, 120 University Place, Glasgow, UK,Corresponding authors. Tel: +44 141 330 7142; E-mail: (P.M.) Tel: +44 141 330 6085; E-mail: (M.K.-S.)
| | - Pasquale Maffia
- Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir Graeme Davies Building, 120 University Place, Glasgow, UK,Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK,Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy,Corresponding authors. Tel: +44 141 330 7142; E-mail: (P.M.) Tel: +44 141 330 6085; E-mail: (M.K.-S.)
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25
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Gao L, Urman R, Millstein J, Siegmund KD, Dubeau L, Breton CV. Association between AXL promoter methylation and lung function growth during adolescence. Epigenetics 2018; 13:1027-1038. [PMID: 30277126 PMCID: PMC6342069 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1529517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AXL is one of the TAM (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) receptor tyrosine kinases and may be involved in airway inflammation. Little is known about how epigenetic changes in AXL may affect lung development during adolescence. We investigated the association between AXL DNA methylation at birth and lung function growth from 10 to 18 years of age in 923 subjects from the Children's Health Study (CHS). DNA methylation from newborn bloodspots was measured at multiple CpG loci across the regulatory regions of AXL using Pyrosequencing. Linear spline mixed-effects models were fitted to assess the association between DNA methylation and 8-year lung function growth. Findings were evaluated for replication in a separate population of 237 CHS subjects using methylation data from the Illumina HumanMethylation450 (HM450) array when possible. A 5% higher average methylation level of the AXL promoter region at birth was associated with a 48.4 ml decrease in mean FEV1 growth from 10 to 18 years of age in the primary study population (95% CI: -100.2, 3.4), and a 53.9 ml decrease in mean FEV1 growth from 11 to 15 years of age in the replication population (95% CI: -104.3, -3.5). One CpG locus in the promoter region, cg10564498, was significantly associated with decreased growth in FEV1, FVC and MMEF from 10 to 18 years of age and the negative associations were observed in a similar age range in the replication population. These findings suggest a potential association between AXL promoter methylation at birth and lower lung function growth during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Gao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Robert Urman
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Millstein
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kimberly D. Siegmund
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Louis Dubeau
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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26
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Gao L, Liu X, Millstein J, Siegmund KD, Dubeau L, Maguire RL, (Jim) Zhang J, Fuemmeler BF, Kollins SH, Hoyo C, Murphy SK, Breton CV. Self-reported prenatal tobacco smoke exposure, AXL gene-body methylation, and childhood asthma phenotypes. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:98. [PMID: 30029617 PMCID: PMC6054742 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0532-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, act as one potential mechanism underlying the detrimental effects associated with prenatal tobacco smoke (PTS) exposure. Methylation in a gene called AXL was previously reported to differ in response to PTS. METHODS We investigated the association between PTS and epigenetic changes in AXL and how this was related to childhood asthma phenotypes. We tested the association between PTS and DNA methylation at multiple CpG loci of AXL at birth using Pyrosequencing in two separate study populations, the Children's Health Study (CHS, n = 799) and the Newborn Epigenetic Study (NEST, n = 592). Plasma cotinine concentration was used to validate findings with self-reported smoking status. The inter-relationships among AXL mRNA and miR-199a1 expression, PTS, and AXL methylation were examined. Lastly, we evaluated the joint effects of AXL methylation and PTS on the risk of asthma and related symptoms at age 10 years old. RESULTS PTS was associated with higher methylation level in the AXL gene body in both CHS and NEST subjects. In the pooled analysis, exposed subjects had a 0.51% higher methylation level in this region compared to unexposed subjects (95% CI 0.29, 0.74; p < 0.0001). PTS was also associated with 21.2% lower expression of miR-199a1 (95% CI - 37.9, - 0.1; p = 0.05), a microRNA known to regulate AXL expression. Furthermore, the combination of higher AXL methylation and PTS exposure at birth increased the risk of recent episodes of bronchitic symptoms in childhood. CONCLUSIONS PTS was associated with methylation level of AXL and the combination altered the risk of childhood bronchitic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Gao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
| | - Xiaochen Liu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
| | - Joshua Millstein
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
| | - Kimberly D. Siegmund
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
| | - Louis Dubeau
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
| | - Rachel L. Maguire
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Junfeng (Jim) Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701 USA
| | - Bernard F. Fuemmeler
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219 USA
| | - Scott H. Kollins
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705 USA
| | - Cathrine Hoyo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Susan K. Murphy
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Carrie V. Breton
- Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Keck School of Medicine, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032 USA
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27
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Nassar M, Tabib Y, Capucha T, Mizraji G, Nir T, Saba F, Salameh R, Eli-Berchoer L, Wilensky A, Burstyn-Cohen T, Hovav AH. Multiple Regulatory Levels of Growth Arrest-Specific 6 in Mucosal Immunity Against an Oral Pathogen. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1374. [PMID: 29967614 PMCID: PMC6015888 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) expressed by oral epithelial cells and dendritic cells (DCs) was shown to play a critical role in the maintenance of oral mucosal homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrate that the induction of pathogen-specific oral adaptive immune responses is abrogated in Gas6−/− mice. Further analysis revealed that GAS6 induces simultaneously both pro- and anti-inflammatory regulatory pathways upon infection. On one hand, GAS6 upregulates expression of adhesion molecules on blood vessels, facilitating extravasation of innate inflammatory cells to the oral mucosa. GAS6 also elevates expression of CCL19 and CCL21 chemokines and enhances migration of oral DCs to the lymph nodes. On the other hand, expression of pro-inflammatory molecules in the oral mucosa are downregulated by GAS6. Moreover, GAS6 inhibits DC maturation and reduces antigen presentation to T cells by DCs. These data suggest that GAS6 facilitates bi-directional trans-endothelial migration of inflammatory cells and DCs, whereas inhibiting mucosal activation and T-cell stimulation. Thus, the orchestrated complex activity of GAS6 enables the development of a rapid and yet restrained mucosal immunity to oral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nassar
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaara Tabib
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tal Capucha
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Gabriel Mizraji
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.,Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tsipora Nir
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Faris Saba
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rana Salameh
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.,Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Luba Eli-Berchoer
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Asaf Wilensky
- Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tal Burstyn-Cohen
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Avi-Hai Hovav
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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28
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Stabile H, Fionda C, Santoni A, Gismondi A. Impact of bone marrow-derived signals on NK cell development and functional maturation. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2018; 42:13-19. [PMID: 29622473 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic members of type I innate lymphocytes (ILC1) with a prominent role in anti-tumor and anti-viral immune responses. Despite the increasing insight into NK cell biology, the steps and stages leading to mature circulating NK cells require further investigation. Natural killer cell development and functional maturation are complex and multi-stage processes that occur predominantly in the bone marrow (BM) and originate from haematopoietic stem cells CD34+ (HSC). Within the BM, NK cell precursor (NKP) and NK cell development intermediates reside in specialized niches that are characterized by particular cellular components that provide signals required for their maturation. These signals consist of soluble factors or direct cellular-contact interactions mediated by cytokines and growth factors with complementary, as well as overlapping roles in distinct developmental steps. Emerging evidence highlights the plasticity of the early phase of NK cell development, and the capacity of different signal combinations to redirect precursor lineage commitment through other innate cell populations. Here, we summarize the role of signals known to guide NK cell differentiation with a particular focus on the cytokines and the receptor/ligand pairs playing a critical role in these processes. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying NK cell development will elucidate their roles in pathological conditions and will improve protocols for NK cell therapeutic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Stabile
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Cinzia Fionda
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Santoni
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory affiliated to Institute Pasteur -Italia, 00161 Rome, Italy; IRCCS, Neuromed, Pozzilli, 86077 IS, Italy
| | - Angela Gismondi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Eleonora Lorillard Spencer Cenci Foundation, Italy
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29
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On the Regularities of the Polar Profiles of Proteins Related to Ebola Virus Infection and their Functional Domains. Cell Biochem Biophys 2018; 76:411-431. [PMID: 29511990 PMCID: PMC7090660 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-018-0839-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The number of fatalities and economic losses caused by the Ebola virus infection across the planet culminated in the havoc that occurred between August and November 2014. However, little is known about the molecular protein profile of this devastating virus. This work represents a thorough bioinformatics analysis of the regularities of charge distribution (polar profiles) in two groups of proteins and their functional domains associated with Ebola virus disease: Ebola virus proteins and Human proteins interacting with Ebola virus. Our analysis reveals that a fragment exists in each of these proteins—one named the “functional domain”—with the polar profile similar to the polar profile of the protein that contains it. Each protein is formed by a group of short sub-sequences, where each fragment has a different and distinctive polar profile and where the polar profile between adjacent short sub-sequences changes orderly and gradually to coincide with the polar profile of the whole protein. When using the charge distribution as a metric, it was observed that it effectively discriminates the proteins from their functional domains. As a counterexample, the same test was applied to a set of synthetic proteins built for that purpose, revealing that any of the regularities reported here for the Ebola virus proteins and human proteins interacting with Ebola virus were not present in the synthetic proteins. Our results indicate that the polar profile of each protein studied and its corresponding functional domain are similar. Thus, when building each protein from its functional domai—adding one amino acid at a time and plotting each time its polar profile—it was observed that the resulting graphs can be divided into groups with similar polar profiles.
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30
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Phenotypic screening identifies Axl kinase as a negative regulator of an alveolar epithelial cell phenotype. J Transl Med 2017; 97:1047-1062. [PMID: 28553934 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of epithelial barrier integrity is implicated in a number of human lung diseases. However, the molecular pathways underlying this process are poorly understood. In a phenotypic screen, we identified Axl kinase as a negative regulator of epithelial phenotype and function. Furthermore, suppression of Axl activity by a small molecule kinase inhibitor or downregulation of Axl expression by small interfering RNA led to: (1) the increase in epithelial surfactant protein expression; (2) a cell morphology transition from front-rear polarity to cuboidal shape; (3) the cytoskeletal re-organization resulting in decreased cell mobility; and (4) the acquisition of epithelial junctions. Loss of Axl activity reduced activation of the Axl canonical pathway members, Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 and resulted in the loss of gene expression of a unique profile of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition transcription factors including SNAI2, HOXA5, TBX2 or TBX3. Finally, we observed that Axl was activated in hyperplasia of epithelial cells in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis where epithelial barrier integrity was lost. These results suggest that the Axl kinase signaling pathway is associated with the loss integrity of alveolar epithelium in pathological remodeling of human lung diseases.
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31
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Kim EM, Lee EH, Lee HY, Choi HR, Ji KY, Kim SM, Kim KD, Kang HS. Axl signaling induces development of natural killer cells in vitro and in vivo. PROTOPLASMA 2017; 254:1091-1101. [PMID: 27549806 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-016-1016-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have been well known to play a critical role in innate immunity, but they are also capable of regulating adaptive immunity through the induction of T cell-mediated memory response and B cell-mediated autoimmune response. NK cells are differentiated from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow (BM), and a series of surface molecules are expressed on NK cells in a differentiation stage-specific manner. Axl receptor tyrosine kinase is originally identified as homeostatic regulators for antigen-presenting cells, and its ligand, growth-arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6), has been reported to promote cell survival, proliferation, and migration, but their regulatory role in the development and effector function of NK cells is not yet fully understood. In this study, to investigate whether Axl is required for the regulation of NK cell development, the expression of mature NK (mNK) cell-specific receptors and NK cell-associated genes was analyzed in the differentiated HSCs-derived NK cells in vitro and the NK cells harvested from Axl-/- mice. We found that agonistic anti-Axl antibody or recombinant Gas6 specifically upregulated the expression of mNK cell-specific receptors, such as LY49A, Ly49G2, Ly49C/F/I, NKG2A/C/E (1.5- to 3.5-fold increase), and NK cell-associated genes, such as IL-2Rβ (2.3- or 2.4-fold increase), Perforin (4.1- or 2.1-fold increase), IL-15Rα (2.14- or 2.04-fold increase), and IFN-γ (3.3- or 2.8-fold increase) compared to each isotype control, whereas it was abrogated by treatment of Axl-Ig. Anti-Axl antibody or rGas6 also induced a 2.5- or 1.9-fold increase in the proliferation of developing NK cells compared to each control, respectively. mNK cell populations expressing mNK cell-specific receptors were reduced about twofold in NK cells differentiated from HSCs of Axl-/- mice compared with those of wild-type mice. Furthermore, the triggering of Axl signaling by agonistic anti-Axl antibody promoted the cytolytic activity (1.5- to 1.9-fold increase) against target tumor cells. In B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice, the number of metastatic colonies was decreased by 83 % by the administration of mNK cells treated with anti-Axl antibody compared to control Ig. These data suggest that Axl plays an essential role in the regulation of NK cell development as well as NK effector function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Mi Kim
- Internal Medicine, University of Iowa and VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
| | - Eun-Hee Lee
- Advanced Radiation Technology Institute (ARTI), Korea Atomic Energy Institute (KAERI), 29 Geumgu-gil, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, 580-185, South Korea
| | - Hwa-Yeon Lee
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Cheombok-ro 80, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41061, South Korea
| | - Ha-Rim Choi
- Department of Nursing, Nambu University, 23 Chumdan Jungang-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 506-706, South Korea
| | - Kon-Young Ji
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, 300 Yongbong-dong, Bukgu, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Man Kim
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, 300 Yongbong-dong, Bukgu, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Dong Kim
- Division of Applied Life Science, PMBBRC, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 660-701, South Korea
| | - Hyung-Sik Kang
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, 300 Yongbong-dong, Bukgu, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea.
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Davra V, Kimani SG, Calianese D, Birge RB. Ligand Activation of TAM Family Receptors-Implications for Tumor Biology and Therapeutic Response. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8120107. [PMID: 27916840 PMCID: PMC5187505 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8120107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The TAM family of receptors (i.e., Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk), and their ligands Growth arrest specific factor 6 (Gas6) and Protein S (Pros1) contribute to several oncogenic processes, such as cell survival, invasion, migration, chemo-resistance, and metastasis, whereby expression often correlates with poor clinical outcomes. In recent years, there has been great interest in the study of TAM receptors in cancer, stemming both from their roles as oncogenic signaling receptors, as well as their roles in tumor immunology. As a result, several classes of TAM inhibitors that include small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, decoy receptors, as well as novel strategies to target TAM ligands are being developed. This paper will review the biology of TAM receptors and their ligands with a focus on cancer, as well as evidence-based data for the continued pursuit of TAM/Gas6 inhibitors in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viralkumar Davra
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
| | - Stanley G Kimani
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
| | - David Calianese
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
| | - Raymond B Birge
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL in Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8110103. [PMID: 27834845 PMCID: PMC5126763 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8110103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for cancer therapy. Recent studies have revealed a central role of AXL signaling in tumor proliferation, survival, stem cell phenotype, metastasis, and resistance to cancer therapy. Moreover, AXL is expressed within cellular components of the tumor microenvironment where AXL signaling contributes to the immunosuppressive and protumorigenic phenotypes. A variety of AXL inhibitors have been developed and are efficacious in preclinical studies. These agents offer new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in the prevention and treatment of advanced disease. Here we review the literature that has illuminated the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which AXL signaling promotes tumor progression and we will discuss the therapeutic potential of AXL inhibition for cancer therapy.
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The Role of TAM Family Receptors in Immune Cell Function: Implications for Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8100097. [PMID: 27775650 PMCID: PMC5082387 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8100097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The TAM receptor protein tyrosine kinases-Tyro3, Axl, and Mer-are essential regulators of immune homeostasis. Guided by their cognate ligands Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) and Protein S (Pros1), these receptors ensure the resolution of inflammation by dampening the activation of innate cells as well as by restoring tissue function through promotion of tissue repair and clearance of apoptotic cells. Their central role as negative immune regulators is highlighted by the fact that deregulation of TAM signaling has been linked to the pathogenesis of autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Importantly, TAM receptors have also been associated with cancer development and progression. In a cancer setting, TAM receptors have a dual regulatory role, controlling the initiation and progression of tumor development and, at the same time, the associated anti-tumor responses of diverse immune cells. Thus, modulation of TAM receptors has emerged as a potential novel strategy for cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of how TAM receptors control immunity, with a particular focus on the regulation of anti-tumor responses and its implications for cancer immunotherapy.
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Receptor tyrosine kinase Axl is required for resistance of leukemic cells to FLT3-targeted therapy in acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2015; 29:2382-9. [PMID: 26172401 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2015.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), about 25-30% of patients harbor a constitutively active receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) FLT3 encoded by a FLT3 allele harboring internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) mutation. The presence of FLT3-ITD correlates with poor prognosis in AML and it makes FLT3 an attractive therapeutic target in AML. Unfortunately, to date small-molecule inhibitors of FLT3 have resulted in only partial and transient clinical responses with residual leukemic blasts resistant to FLT3 inhibitors detected in blood or bone marrow. In this study, we investigated whether the RTK Axl is responsible for resistance of FLT3-ITD(+) AML cells to PKC412 and AC220, FLT3 inhibitors currently under clinical trials for FLT3-ITD(+) AML patients. Upon treatment with PKC412 or AC220, phosphorylation of Axl was significantly enhanced in the FLT3-ITD(+) MV4-11 AML cell line and in primary blasts from a FLT3-ITD(+) AML patient. Consistently, a PKC412-resistant AML cell line and PKC412-resistant primary blasts from FLT3-ITD(+) AML patients had significantly higher levels of constitutively phosphorylated Axl and total Axl when compared with a PKC412-sensitive AML cell line and PKC412-sensitive primary blasts from FLT3-ITD(+) AML patients. We also found that resistance of AML cells against the FLT3 inhibitor PKC412 and AC220 was substantially diminished by the inhibition of Axl via a small-molecule inhibitor TP-0903, a soluble receptor Axl fusion protein Axl-Fc or knockdown of Axl gene expression by shRNA. Collectively, our study suggests that Axl is required for resistance of FLT3-ITD(+) AML cells against the FLT3 inhibitor PKC412 and AC220, and that inhibition of Axl activation may overcome resistance to FLT3-targeted therapy in FLT3-ITD(+) AML.
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Rothlin CV, Carrera-Silva EA, Bosurgi L, Ghosh S. TAM receptor signaling in immune homeostasis. Annu Rev Immunol 2015; 33:355-91. [PMID: 25594431 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-immunol-032414-112103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 307] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The TAM receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs)-TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK-together with their cognate agonists GAS6 and PROS1 play an essential role in the resolution of inflammation. Deficiencies in TAM signaling have been associated with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Three processes regulated by TAM signaling may contribute, either independently or collectively, to immune homeostasis: the negative regulation of the innate immune response, the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, and the restoration of vascular integrity. Recent studies have also revealed the function of TAMs in infectious diseases and cancer. Here, we review the important milestones in the discovery of these RTKs and their ligands and the studies that underscore the functional importance of this signaling pathway in physiological immune settings and disease.
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Abstract
The control of cellular growth and proliferation is key to the maintenance of homeostasis. Survival, proliferation, and arrest are regulated, in part, by Growth Arrest Specific 6 (Gas6) through binding to members of the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family. Activation of the TAM receptors leads to downstream signaling through common kinases, but the exact mechanism within each cellular context varies and remains to be completely elucidated. Deregulation of the TAM family, due to its central role in mediating cellular proliferation, has been implicated in multiple diseases. Axl was cloned as the first TAM receptor in a search for genes involved in the progression of chronic to acute-phase leukemia, and has since been established as playing a critical role in the progression of cancer. The oncogenic nature of Axl is demonstrated through its activation of signaling pathways involved in proliferation, migration, inhibition of apoptosis, and therapeutic resistance. Despite its recent discovery, significant progress has been made in the development of effective clinical therapeutics targeting Axl. In order to accurately define the role of Axl in normal and diseased processes, it must be analyzed in a cell type-specific context.
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Davies JOJ, Stringaris K, Barrett AJ, Rezvani K. Opportunities and limitations of natural killer cells as adoptive therapy for malignant disease. Cytotherapy 2014; 16:1453-1466. [PMID: 24856895 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2014.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Although natural killer (NK) cells can be readily generated for adoptive therapy with current techniques, their optimal application to treat malignant diseases requires an appreciation of the dynamic balance between signals that either synergize with or antagonize each other. Individuals display wide differences in NK function that determine their therapeutic efficacy. The ability of NK cells to kill target cells or produce cytokines depends on the balance between signals from activating and inhibitory cell-surface receptors. The selection of NK cells with a predominant activating profile is critical for delivering successful anti-tumor activity. This can be achieved through selection of killer immunoglobulin-like receptor-mismatched NK donors and by use of blocking molecules against inhibitory pathways. Optimum NK cytotoxicity may require licensing or priming with tumor cells. Recent discoveries in the molecular and cellular biology of NK cells inform in the design of new strategies, including adjuvant therapies, to maximize the cytotoxic potential of NK cells for adoptive transfer to treat human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- James O J Davies
- Department of Haematology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Stringaris
- Department of Haematology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - A John Barrett
- Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
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Zuo PY, Chen XL, Lei YH, Liu CY, Liu YW. Growth arrest-specific gene 6 protein promotes the proliferation and migration of endothelial progenitor cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Int J Mol Med 2014; 34:299-306. [PMID: 24789534 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in endothelial repair and vascular regeneration. Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) is a novel key regulator of the vascular system, which is linked to a number of cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of Gas6 on EPCs have not been elucidated to date. The present study was designed to determine the biological function of EPCs treated with Gas6 and to eludicate the underlying mechanisms. EPCs were isolated from umbilical cord blood and treated with various concentrations (25, 50, 100 and 200 ng/ml) of Gas6. The proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of the Gas6-treated EPCs were evaluated by MTT assay, Transwell assay and in vitro tube formation assay, respectively. The phosphorylation status of AKT and ERK was evaluated by western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that treatment with Gas6 enhanced the proliferation and migration of the EPCs in a dose-dependent manner. However, Gas6 did not promote the differentiation of EPCs on Matrigel. Gas6 induced the phosphorylation of AKT, but not that of ERK. The enhanced proliferation and migration induced by Gas6 was markedly suppressed by the inhibitor of PI3K but not by that of ERK. These results suggest that Gas6 activates the AKT signaling pathway, which, in turn, promotes the proliferation and migration of EPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yuan Zuo
- Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Xing-Lin Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Hong Lei
- Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Cheng-Yun Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Wei Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, P.R. China
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40
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Freud AG, Yu J, Caligiuri MA. Human natural killer cell development in secondary lymphoid tissues. Semin Immunol 2014; 26:132-7. [PMID: 24661538 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
For nearly a decade it has been appreciated that critical steps in human natural killer (NK) cell development likely occur outside of the bone marrow and potentially necessitate distinct microenvironments within extramedullary tissues. The latter include the liver and gravid uterus as well as secondary lymphoid tissues such as tonsils and lymph nodes. For as yet unknown reasons these tissues are naturally enriched with NK cell developmental intermediates (NKDI) that span a maturation continuum starting from an oligopotent CD34(+)CD45RA(+) hematopoietic precursor cell to a cytolytic mature NK cell. Indeed despite the detection of NKDI within the aforementioned tissues, relatively little is known about how, why, and when these tissues may be most suited to support NK cell maturation and how this process fits in with other components of the human immune system. With the discovery of other innate lymphoid subsets whose immunophenotypes overlap with those of NKDI, there is also need to revisit and potentially re-characterize the basic immunophenotypes of the stages of the human NK cell developmental pathway in vivo. In this review, we provide an overview of human NK cell development in secondary lymphoid tissues and discuss the many questions that remain to be answered in this exciting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aharon G Freud
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael A Caligiuri
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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41
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Son MY, Seol B, Han YM, Cho YS. Comparative receptor tyrosine kinase profiling identifies a novel role for AXL in human stem cell pluripotency. Hum Mol Genet 2013; 23:1802-16. [PMID: 24218367 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddt571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The extensive molecular characterization of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is required before they can be applied in the future for personalized medicine and drug discovery. Despite the efforts that have been made with kinome analyses, we still lack in-depth insights into the molecular signatures of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) that are related to pluripotency. Here, we present the first detailed and distinct repertoire of RTK characteristic for hPSC pluripotency by determining both the expression and phosphorylation profiles of RTKs in hESCs and hiPSCs using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction with degenerate primers that target conserved tyrosine kinase domains and phospho-RTK array, respectively. Among the RTKs tested, the up-regulation of EPHA1, ERBB2, FGFR4 and VEGFR2 and the down-regulation of AXL, EPHA4, PDGFRB and TYRO3 in terms of both their expression and phosphorylation levels were predominantly related to the maintenance of hPSC pluripotency. Notably, the specific inhibition of AXL was significantly advantageous in maintaining undifferentiated hESCs and hiPSCs and for the overall efficiency and kinetics of hiPSC generation. Additionally, a global phosphoproteomic analysis showed that ∼30% of the proteins (293 of 970 phosphoproteins) showed differential phosphorylation upon AXL inhibition in undifferentiated hPSCs, revealing the potential contribution of AXL-mediated phosphorylation dynamics to pluripotency-related signaling networks. Our findings provide a novel molecular signature of AXL in pluripotency control that will complement existing pluripotency-kinome networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Young Son
- Stem Cell Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
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Park IK, Trotta R, Yu J, Caligiuri MA. Axl/Gas6 pathway positively regulates FLT3 activation in human natural killer cell development. Eur J Immunol 2013; 43:2750-5. [PMID: 23722894 PMCID: PMC3829002 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201243116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Revised: 04/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the fibromyalgia syndrome-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) by its ligand, FLT3 ligand (FL), strongly augments the development of natural killer (NK) cells from human CD34⁺ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) in the presence of IL-15, compared with NK-cell development in the presence of IL-15 alone. In this study, we observed that blocking the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl/Gas6 pathway with a soluble Axl-IgG1 Fc fusion protein (Axl-Fc) in the presence of FL significantly diminished the absolute number of CD3⁻ CD56⁺ NK cells derived from human CD34⁺ HPCs. Axl-Fc reduced the expression levels of the IL-2/15 receptor β chain (CD122) and γ chain (CD132) induced by activation of FLT3 and consequently reduced the frequency of NK precursor cells responding to IL-15. Furthermore, Axl-Fc diminished FL-induced FLT3 phosphorylation and impeded the physical interaction between Axl and FLT3 in CD34⁺ HPCs. Collectively, our data suggest that the Axl/Gas6 pathway contributes to normal human NK-cell development at least in part via its positive regulatory effect on FLT3 signaling in CD34⁺ HPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Il-Kyoo Park
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rossana Trotta
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jianhua Yu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
,Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael A. Caligiuri
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
,Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
,To whom correspondence should be addressed The Comprehensive Cancer Center The Ohio State University 320 West 10 Avenue Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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43
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Yu J, Freud AG, Caligiuri MA. Location and cellular stages of natural killer cell development. Trends Immunol 2013; 34:573-82. [PMID: 24055329 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2013.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Revised: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The identification of distinct tissue-specific natural killer (NK) cell populations that apparently mature from local precursor populations has brought new insight into the diversity and developmental regulation of this important lymphoid subset. NK cells provide a necessary link between the early (innate) and late (adaptive) immune responses to infection. Gaining a better understanding of the processes that govern NK cell development should allow us to harness better NK cell functions in multiple clinical settings, as well as to gain further insight into how these cells undergo malignant transformation. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding sites and cellular stages of NK cell development in humans and mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Yu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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44
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Inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl impedes activation of the FLT3 internal tandem duplication in human acute myeloid leukemia: implications for Axl as a potential therapeutic target. Blood 2013; 121:2064-73. [PMID: 23321254 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2012-07-444018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 20% to 25% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have a constitutively activated FLT3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD), and these patients exhibit a poor prognosis. Here, we report that Axl, a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) overexpressed and constitutively active in human AML, targets the RTK FLT3 in FLT3-ITD(+) AML. Abrogation of Axl activation by soluble Axl chimeric protein (Axl-Fc) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) diminishes constitutive FLT3 phosphorylation in FLT3-ITD(+) AML. In addition, inhibition of Axl activation by Axl-Fc interferes with the physical interaction between Axl and FLT3. We found that Axl-Fc, a pharmacologic Axl inhibitor, or siRNA targeting Axl inhibits cell growth, induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis, and relieves a block in myeloid differentiation of FLT3-ITD(+) AML in vitro. Axl-Fc also suppresses the growth of human FLT3-ITD(+) AML in vivo. Collectively, our data suggest that Axl contributes to the pathogenesis of FLT3-ITD(+) AML through, at least in part, positive regulation of constitutive FLT3 activation. This also suggests that Axl should be pursued as a potential target for the treatment of FLT3-ITD(+) AML.
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45
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Mishra A, Liu S, Sams GH, Curphey DP, Santhanam R, Rush LJ, Schaefer D, Falkenberg LG, Sullivan L, Jaroncyk L, Yang X, Fisk H, Wu LC, Chandler JC, Wu YZ, Heerema NA, Chan KK, Perrotti D, Zhang J, Porcu P, Racke FK, Garzon R, Lee RJ, Marcucci G, Caligiuri MA. Aberrant overexpression of IL-15 initiates large granular lymphocyte leukemia through chromosomal instability and DNA hypermethylation. Cancer Cell 2012; 22:645-55. [PMID: 23153537 PMCID: PMC3627362 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2011] [Revised: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
How inflammation causes cancer is unclear. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine elevated in human large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia. Mice overexpressing IL-15 develop LGL leukemia. Here, we show that prolonged in vitro exposure of wild-type (WT) LGL to IL-15 results in Myc-mediated upregulation of aurora kinases, centrosome aberrancies, and aneuploidy. Simultaneously, IL-15 represses miR-29b via induction of Myc/NF-κBp65/Hdac-1, resulting in Dnmt3b overexpression and DNA hypermethylation. All this is validated in human LGL leukemia. Adoptive transfer of WT LGL cultured with IL-15 led to malignant transformation in vivo. Drug targeting that reverses miR-29b repression cures otherwise fatal LGL leukemia. We show how excessive IL-15 initiates cancer and demonstrate effective drug targeting for potential therapy of human LGL leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Mishra
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Shujun Liu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Gregory H. Sams
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Douglas P. Curphey
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Ramasamy Santhanam
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Laura J. Rush
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Deanna Schaefer
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Lauren G. Falkenberg
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Laura Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Laura Jaroncyk
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Xiaojuan Yang
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Harold Fisk
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Lai-Chu Wu
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Jason C. Chandler
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Yue-Zhong Wu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Nyla A. Heerema
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Kenneth K. Chan
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Danilo Perrotti
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Jianying Zhang
- Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Pierluigi Porcu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Frederick K. Racke
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Ramiro Garzon
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Robert J. Lee
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Guido Marcucci
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
| | - Michael A. Caligiuri
- Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, 43210 USA
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Plasma concentrations of growth arrest specific protein 6 and the soluble form of its tyrosine kinase receptor Axl in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and Behçets disease. J Clin Immunol 2012; 32:1279-86. [PMID: 22833165 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-012-9743-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma concentrations of Gas6 and its soluble tyrosine kinase receptor sAxl in Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Behçets disease (BD) patients and to correlate those levels with clinical and laboratory manifestations of the diseases. METHODS The study included 89 female SLE and 49 male BD patients. Twenty-seven age and sex matched healthy volunteers served as controls. All patients were subjected to full clinical examination, laboratory investigations and assessment of disease activity. Plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl were quantified using ELISA technique. RESULTS The level of Gas6 and Axl were significantly altered in the SLE patients (p < 0.001) and in the BD patients (p 0.001 and 0.04 respectively) compared to those of the control. In SLE, the Gas6 was remarkably lower in those with class 1 lupus nephritis and in those with neuropsychiatric manifestations. In the BD patients, the level of Axl was significantly increased in those with neurological disease activity. The number of lymphocytes significantly negatively correlated with the gas6 and Axl levels significantly correlated with the number of neutrophils and negatively with the lymphocytic count in the BD patients. CONCLUSION The plasma concentrations of Gas6 and Axl were significantly altered in SLE and BD patients, suggesting that the Axl receptor shedding is an active process affected by and influences Gas6-mediated Axl-signaling in both diseases. Special attention is required in SLE patients with early lupus nephritis and neuropsychiatric manifestations and BD patients presenting with neurological disease activity. The relation with lymphocytes and neutrophils in BD throws light on the role of gas6 and Axl on their known resistance to cell death. Although the mechanisms responsible for the initiation of BD remain to be clarified, the role of the apoptotic process seems critical throughout the disease.
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The histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid lessens NK cell action against oncolytic virus-infected glioblastoma cells by inhibition of STAT5/T-BET signaling and generation of gamma interferon. J Virol 2012; 86:4566-77. [PMID: 22318143 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.05545-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor virotherapy has been and continues to be used in clinical trials. One barrier to effective viral oncolysis, consisting of the interferon (IFN) response induced by viral infection, is inhibited by valproic acid (VPA) and other histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi). Innate immune cell recruitment and activation have been shown to be deleterious to the efficacy of oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) infection, and in this report we demonstrate that VPA limits this deleterious response. VPA, administered prior to oHSV inoculation in an orthotopic glioblastoma mouse model, resulted in a decline in NK and macrophage recruitment into tumor-bearing brains at 6 and 24 h post-oHSV infection. Interestingly, there was a robust rebound of recruitment of these cells at 72 h post-oHSV infection. The observed initial decline in immune cell recruitment was accompanied by a reduction in their activation status. VPA was also found to have a profound immunosuppressive effect on human NK cells in vitro. NK cytotoxicity was abrogated following exposure to VPA, consistent with downmodulation of cytotoxic gene expression of granzyme B and perforin at the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, suppression of gamma IFN (IFN-γ) production by VPA was associated with decreased STAT5 phosphorylation and dampened T-BET expression. Despite VPA-mediated immune suppression, mice were not at significantly increased risk for HSV encephalitis. These findings indicate that one of the avenues by which VPA enhances oHSV efficacy is through initial suppression of immune cell recruitment and inhibition of inflammatory cell pathways within NK cells.
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Abstract
Perforin (Prf1) and granzyme B (GzmB) are essential effector molecules for natural killer (NK)-cell cytotoxicity, but how Prf1 and GzmB expression is regulated during arming of NK cells is poorly defined. We show that human microRNA (miR)-27a* is a negative regulator of NK-cell cytotoxicity by silencing Prf1 and GzmB expression. Human miR-27a* specifically bound to the 3' untranslated regions of Prf1 and GzmB, down-regulating expression in both resting and activated NK cells, and it functioned as a fine-tuner for homeostasis of the net amount of the effector proteins. Consistent with miR-27a* having an inhibitory role, knockdown of miR-27a* in NK cells dramatically increased cytotoxicity in vitro and decreased tumor growth in a human tumor xenograft model. Thus, NK-cell cytotoxicity is regulated, in part, by microRNA, and modulating endogenous miR-27a* levels in NK cells represents a potential immunotherapeutic strategy.
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Breton CV, Salam MT, Gilliland FD. Heritability and role for the environment in DNA methylation in AXL receptor tyrosine kinase. Epigenetics 2011; 6:895-8. [PMID: 21555911 DOI: 10.4161/epi.6.7.15768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation in AXL, a receptor tyrosine kinase relevant in cancer and immune function, is reportedly highly heritable. We present evidence to suggest that heritability of DNA methylation in AXL is variable, dependent on population characteristics and cell type studied. Moreover, environmental exposures in utero, particularly exposure to maternal smoking, contributes to variation in DNA methylation of select CpG loci that can affect calculations of heritability. Children exposed to maternal smoking in utero had a 2.3% increase (95 % CI 0.3, 4.2) in DNA methylation in AXL, which was magnified in girls as compared to boys. These results present compelling evidence that environmental exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy may alter DNA methylation levels in subtle but potentially important ways, and that these changes are persistent years after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie V Breton
- Departments of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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50
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Ekman C, Jönsen A, Sturfelt G, Bengtsson AA, Dahlbäck B. Plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl correlate with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2011; 50:1064-9. [PMID: 21278074 PMCID: PMC3093930 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keq459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES SLE is a systemic autoimmune disease with an annual incidence of 3.8 per 100,000. Several pathogenic mechanisms are believed to be operating in SLE, including an impaired clearance of apoptotic cells, activation of the type I IFN pathway and generation of autoimmune leucocytes. Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) and its receptor Axl are known to regulate inflammation and may be implicated in lupus pathogenesis. We have recently developed immunological methods to quantify the vitamin-K-dependent protein Gas6 and its soluble receptor sAxl in human plasma, which we have used to investigate the role of Gas6 and soluble Axl in SLE. METHODS We have investigated the relation between the plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl and disease activity and specific symptoms in 96 SLE patients. RESULTS Gas6 and sAxl concentrations correlated with SLEDAI (r = 0.48, P < 0.001 and r = 0.39, P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl correlated with ESR and CRP and inversely with haemoglobin levels. Gas6 and sAxl concentrations were significantly higher in patients with anti-DNA antibodies, leucopenia and GN. CONCLUSION The plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl vary with disease activity in SLE, in particular GN, and may have a role in lupus pathogenesis. Furthermore, Gas6 and sAxl may be of use as biomarkers of disease activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Ekman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Andreas Jönsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Sturfelt
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders A. Bengtsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Dahlbäck
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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