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Tsiverioti CA, Gottschlich A, Trefny M, Theurich S, Anders HJ, Kroiss M, Kobold S. Beyond CAR T cells: exploring alternative cell sources for CAR-like cellular therapies. Biol Chem 2024; 405:485-515. [PMID: 38766710 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has led to remarkable clinical outcomes in the treatment of hematological malignancies. However, challenges remain, such as limited infiltration into solid tumors, inadequate persistence, systemic toxicities, and manufacturing insufficiencies. The use of alternative cell sources for CAR-based therapies, such as natural killer cells (NK), macrophages (MΦ), invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells, γδT cells, neutrophils, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), has emerged as a promising avenue. By harnessing these cells' inherent cytotoxic mechanisms and incorporating CAR technology, common CAR-T cell-related limitations can be effectively mitigated. We herein present an overview of the tumoricidal mechanisms, CAR designs, and manufacturing processes of CAR-NK cells, CAR-MΦ, CAR-iNKT cells, CAR-γδT cells, CAR-neutrophils, and iPSC-derived CAR-cells, outlining the advantages, limitations, and potential solutions of these therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adrian Gottschlich
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstr. 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninstr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Marcel Trefny
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstr. 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Theurich
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninstr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
- 74939 German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, A Partnership Between DKFZ and University Hospital of the LMU , Marchioninstr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Cancer and Immunometabolism Research Group, 74939 Gene Center LMU , Feodor-Lynen Str. 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Hans-Joachim Anders
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Kroiss
- Department of Medicine IV, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstr. 5, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str, 9780 Würzburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 6, 9780 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstr. 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany
- 74939 German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, A Partnership Between DKFZ and University Hospital of the LMU , Marchioninstr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Einheit für Klinische Pharmakologie (EKLiP), Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
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2
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Garcia A, Mathew SO. Racial/Ethnic Disparities and Immunotherapeutic Advances in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2446. [PMID: 39001508 PMCID: PMC11240753 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16132446] [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: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the leading causes of death among many associated liver diseases. Various conventional strategies have been utilized for treatment, ranging from invasive surgeries and liver transplants to radiation therapy, but fail due to advanced disease progression, late screening/staging, and the various etiologies of HCC. This is especially evident within racially distinct populations, where incidence rates are higher and treatment outcomes are worse for racial/ethnic minorities than their Caucasian counterparts. However, with the rapid development of genetic engineering and molecular and synthetic biology, many novel strategies have presented promising results and have provided potential treatment options. In this review, we summarize past treatments, how they have shaped current treatments, and potential treatment strategies for HCC that may prove more effective in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexsis Garcia
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Genetics, UNT Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Stephen O Mathew
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Genetics, UNT Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
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3
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Rotolo A, Atherton MJ. Applications and Opportunities for Immune Cell CAR Engineering in Comparative Oncology. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:2359-2369. [PMID: 38573683 PMCID: PMC11147717 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-adoptive cell therapy has transformed the treatment of human hematologic malignancies. However, its application for the treatment of solid tumors remains challenging. An exciting avenue for advancing this field lies in the use of pet dogs, in which cancers that recapitulate the biology, immunological features, and clinical course of human malignancies arise spontaneously. Moreover, their large size, outbred genetic background, shared environment with humans, and immunocompetency make dogs ideal for investigating and optimizing CAR therapies before human trials. Here, we will outline how challenges in early clinical trials in patients with canine lymphoma, including issues related to autologous CAR T-cell manufacturing, limited CAR T-cell persistence, and tumor antigen escape, mirrored challenges observed in human CAR T trials. We will then highlight emerging adoptive cell therapy strategies currently under investigation in dogs with hematological and solid cancers, which will provide crucial safety and efficacy data on novel CAR T regimens that can be used to support clinical trials. By drawing from ongoing studies, we will illustrate how canine patients with spontaneous cancer may serve as compelling screening platforms to establish innovative CAR therapy approaches and identify predictive biomarkers of response, with a specific emphasis on solid tumors. With increased funding for canine immunotherapy studies, multi-institutional investigations are poised to generate highly impactful clinical data that should translate into more effective human trials, ultimately benefiting both human and canine cancer patients.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Dogs
- Humans
- Dog Diseases/therapy
- Dog Diseases/immunology
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Clinical Trials, Veterinary as Topic
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Rotolo
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew J. Atherton
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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4
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Butterfield LH, Najjar YG. Immunotherapy combination approaches: mechanisms, biomarkers and clinical observations. Nat Rev Immunol 2024; 24:399-416. [PMID: 38057451 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00973-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The approval of the first immune checkpoint inhibitors provided a paradigm shift for the treatment of malignancies across a broad range of indications. Whereas initially, single-agent immune checkpoint inhibition was used, increasing numbers of patients are now treated with combination immune checkpoint blockade, where non-redundant mechanisms of action of the individual agents generally lead to higher response rates. Furthermore, immune checkpoint therapy has been combined with various other therapeutic modalities, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other immunotherapeutics such as vaccines, adoptive cellular therapies, cytokines and others, in an effort to maximize clinical efficacy. Currently, a large number of clinical trials test combination therapies with an immune checkpoint inhibitor as a backbone. However, proceeding without inclusion of broad, if initially exploratory, biomarker investigations may ultimately slow progress, as so far, few combinations have yielded clinical successes based on clinical data alone. Here, we present the rationale for combination therapies and discuss clinical data from clinical trials across the immuno-oncology spectrum. Moreover, we discuss the evolution of biomarker approaches and highlight the potential new directions that comprehensive biomarker studies can yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa H Butterfield
- University of California San Francisco, Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Li YR, Zhou Y, Yu J, Kim YJ, Li M, Lee D, Zhou K, Chen Y, Zhu Y, Wang YC, Li Z, Yu Y, Dunn ZS, Guo W, Cen X, Husman T, Bajpai A, Kramer A, Wilson M, Fang Y, Huang J, Li S, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Hahn Z, Zhu E, Ma F, Pan C, Lusis AJ, Zhou JJ, Seet CS, Kohn DB, Wang P, Zhou XJ, Pellegrini M, Puliafito BR, Larson SM, Yang L. Generation of allogeneic CAR-NKT cells from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells using a clinically guided culture method. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02226-y. [PMID: 38744947 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02226-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy with autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells faces challenges in manufacturing and patient selection that could be avoided by using 'off-the-shelf' products, such as allogeneic CAR natural killer T (AlloCAR-NKT) cells. Previously, we reported a system for differentiating human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells into AlloCAR-NKT cells, but the use of three-dimensional culture and xenogeneic feeders precluded its clinical application. Here we describe a clinically guided method to differentiate and expand IL-15-enhanced AlloCAR-NKT cells with high yield and purity. We generated AlloCAR-NKT cells targeting seven cancers and, in a multiple myeloma model, demonstrated their antitumor efficacy, expansion and persistence. The cells also selectively depleted immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenviroment and antagonized tumor immune evasion via triple targeting of CAR, TCR and NK receptors. They exhibited a stable hypoimmunogenic phenotype associated with epigenetic and signaling regulation and did not induce detectable graft versus host disease or cytokine release syndrome. These properties of AlloCAR-NKT cells support their potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ruide Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiaji Yu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yu Jeong Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Miao Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Derek Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kuangyi Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuning Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yichen Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Chen Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zhe Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yanqi Yu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zachary Spencer Dunn
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wenbin Guo
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xinjian Cen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany Husman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aarushi Bajpai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Adam Kramer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Wilson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ying Fang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yonggang Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuchong Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zoe Hahn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Enbo Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Feiyang Ma
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Calvin Pan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Aldons J Lusis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jin J Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher S Seet
- Eli and Edythe Broad Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Donald B Kohn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Pin Wang
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xianghong Jasmine Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences-The Collaboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin R Puliafito
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah M Larson
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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6
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Boonchalermvichian C, Yan H, Gupta B, Rubin A, Baker J, Negrin RS. invariant Natural Killer T cell therapy as a novel therapeutic approach in hematological malignancies. FRONTIERS IN TRANSPLANTATION 2024; 3:1353803. [PMID: 38993780 PMCID: PMC11235242 DOI: 10.3389/frtra.2024.1353803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Invariant Natural Killer T cell therapy is an emerging platform of immunotherapy for cancer treatment. This unique cell population is a promising candidate for cell therapy for cancer treatment because of its inherent cytotoxicity against CD1d positive cancers as well as its ability to induce host CD8 T cell cross priming. Substantial evidence supports that iNKT cells can modulate myelomonocytic populations in the tumor microenvironment to ameliorate immune dysregulation to antagonize tumor progression. iNKT cells can also protect from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) through several mechanisms, including the expansion of regulatory T cells (Treg). Ultimately, iNKT cell-based therapy can retain antitumor activity while providing protection against GVHD simultaneously. Therefore, these biological properties render iNKT cells as a promising "off-the-shelf" therapy for diverse hematological malignancies and possible solid tumors. Further the introduction of a chimeric antigen recetor (CAR) can further target iNKT cells and enhance function. We foresee that improved vector design and other strategies such as combinatorial treatments with small molecules or immune checkpoint inhibitors could improve CAR iNKT in vivo persistence, functionality and leverage anti-tumor activity along with the abatement of iNKT cell dysfunction or exhaustion.
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7
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Minina EP, Dianov DV, Sheetikov SA, Bogolyubova AV. CAR Cells beyond Classical CAR T Cells: Functional Properties and Prospects of Application. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:765-783. [PMID: 38880641 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924050018] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are genetically engineered receptors that recognize antigens and activate signaling cascades in a cell. Signal recognition and transmission are mediated by the CAR domains derived from different proteins. T cells carrying CARs against tumor-associated antigens have been used in the development of the CAR T cell therapy, a new approach to fighting malignant neoplasms. Despite its high efficacy in the treatment of oncohematological diseases, CAR T cell therapy has a number of disadvantages that could be avoided by using other types of leukocytes as effector cells. CARs can be expressed in a wide range of cells of adaptive and innate immunity with the emergence or improvement of cytotoxic properties. This review discusses the features of CAR function in different types of immune cells, with a particular focus on the results of preclinical and clinical efficacy studies and the safety of potential CAR cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta P Minina
- National Medical Research Centre for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, 125167, Russia
| | - Dmitry V Dianov
- National Medical Research Centre for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, 125167, Russia
| | - Saveliy A Sheetikov
- National Medical Research Centre for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, 125167, Russia
| | - Apollinariya V Bogolyubova
- National Medical Research Centre for Hematology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, 125167, Russia.
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8
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Zhu N, Chen S, Jin Y, Wang M, Fang L, Xue L, Hua D, Zhang Z, Jia M, Hao M, Zhang C. Enhancing Glioblastoma Immunotherapy with Integrated Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells through the Re-Education of Tumor-Associated Microglia and Macrophages. ACS NANO 2024; 18:11165-11182. [PMID: 38626338 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain cancer that is highly resistant to treatment including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells. Tumor-associated microglia and macrophages (TAMs) are major contributors to the immunosuppressive GBM microenvironment, which promotes tumor progression and treatment resistance. Hence, the modulation of TAMs is a promising strategy for improving the immunotherapeutic efficacy of CAR-T cells against GBM. Molecularly targeting drug pexidartinib (PLX) has been reported to re-educate TAMs toward the antitumorigenic M1-like phenotype. Here, we developed a cell-drug integrated technology to reversibly conjugate PLX-containing liposomes (PLX-Lip) to CAR-T cells and establish tumor-responsive integrated CAR-T cells (PLX-Lip/AZO-T cells) as a combination therapy for GBM. We used a mouse model of GBM to show that PLX-Lip was stably maintained on the surface of PLX-Lip/AZO-T cells in circulation and these cells could transmigrate across the blood-brain barrier and deposit PLX-Lip at the tumor site. The uptake of PLX-Lip by TAMs effectively re-educated them into the M1-like phenotype, which in turn boosted the antitumor function of CAR-T cells. GBM tumor growth was completely eradicated in 60% of the mice after receiving PLX-Lip/AZO-T cells and extended their overall survival time beyond 50 days; in comparison, the median survival time of mice in other treatment groups did not exceed 35 days. Overall, we demonstrated the successful fusion of CAR-T cells and small-molecule drugs with the cell-drug integrated technology. These integrated CAR-T cells provided a superior combination strategy for GBM treatment and presented a reference for the construction of integrated cell-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nianci Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Sijia Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Yu Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Meng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Luyao Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Lingjing Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Dexiang Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Ziyao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Meng Jia
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Meixi Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Can Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Chongqing Innovation Institute of China Pharmaceutical University, Chongqing 401135, China
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9
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Chen X, Zhong S, Zhan Y, Zhang X. CRISPR-Cas9 applications in T cells and adoptive T cell therapies. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2024; 29:52. [PMID: 38609863 PMCID: PMC11010303 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-024-00561-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
T cell immunity is central to contemporary cancer and autoimmune therapies, encompassing immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive T cell therapies. Their diverse characteristics can be reprogrammed by different immune challenges dependent on antigen stimulation levels, metabolic conditions, and the degree of inflammation. T cell-based therapeutic strategies are gaining widespread adoption in oncology and treating inflammatory conditions. Emerging researches reveal that clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) genome editing has enabled T cells to be more adaptable to specific microenvironments, opening the door to advanced T cell therapies in preclinical and clinical trials. CRISPR-Cas9 can edit both primary T cells and engineered T cells, including CAR-T and TCR-T, in vivo and in vitro to regulate T cell differentiation and activation states. This review first provides a comprehensive summary of the role of CRISPR-Cas9 in T cells and its applications in preclinical and clinical studies for T cell-based therapies. We also explore the application of CRISPR screen high-throughput technology in editing T cells and anticipate the current limitations of CRISPR-Cas9, including off-target effects and delivery challenges, and envisioned improvements in related technologies for disease screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute of Zhengzhou University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Shuhan Zhong
- Department of Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine Second Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yonghao Zhan
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
| | - Xuepei Zhang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
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10
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Huang J, Yang Q, Wang W, Huang J. CAR products from novel sources: a new avenue for the breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1378739. [PMID: 38665921 PMCID: PMC11044028 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1378739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has transformed cancer immunotherapy. However, significant challenges limit its application beyond B cell-driven malignancies, including limited clinical efficacy, high toxicity, and complex autologous cell product manufacturing. Despite efforts to improve CAR T cell therapy outcomes, there is a growing interest in utilizing alternative immune cells to develop CAR cells. These immune cells offer several advantages, such as major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent function, tumor microenvironment (TME) modulation, and increased tissue infiltration capabilities. Currently, CAR products from various T cell subtypes, innate immune cells, hematopoietic progenitor cells, and even exosomes are being explored. These CAR products often show enhanced antitumor efficacy, diminished toxicity, and superior tumor penetration. With these benefits in mind, numerous clinical trials are underway to access the potential of these innovative CAR cells. This review aims to thoroughly examine the advantages, challenges, and existing insights on these new CAR products in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wen Wang
- Department of Hematology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Department of Hematology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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11
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Philippova J, Shevchenko J, Sennikov S. GD2-targeting therapy: a comparative analysis of approaches and promising directions. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1371345. [PMID: 38558810 PMCID: PMC10979305 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1371345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Disialoganglioside GD2 is a promising target for immunotherapy with expression primarily restricted to neuroectodermal and epithelial tumor cells. Although its role in the maintenance and repair of neural tissue is well-established, its functions during normal organism development remain understudied. Meanwhile, studies have shown that GD2 plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Its functions include proliferation, invasion, motility, and metastasis, and its high expression and ability to transform the tumor microenvironment may be associated with a malignant phenotype. Structurally, GD2 is a glycosphingolipid that is stably expressed on the surface of tumor cells, making it a suitable candidate for targeting by antibodies or chimeric antigen receptors. Based on mouse monoclonal antibodies, chimeric and humanized antibodies and their combinations with cytokines, toxins, drugs, radionuclides, nanoparticles as well as chimeric antigen receptor have been developed. Furthermore, vaccines and photoimmunotherapy are being used to treat GD2-positive tumors, and GD2 aptamers can be used for targeting. In the field of cell therapy, allogeneic immunocompetent cells are also being utilized to enhance GD2 therapy. Efforts are currently being made to optimize the chimeric antigen receptor by modifying its design or by transducing not only αβ T cells, but also γδ T cells, NK cells, NKT cells, and macrophages. In addition, immunotherapy can combine both diagnostic and therapeutic methods, allowing for early detection of disease and minimal residual disease. This review discusses each immunotherapy method and strategy, its advantages and disadvantages, and highlights future directions for GD2 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sergey Sennikov
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology, Novosibirsk, Russia
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12
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Dey S, Devender M, Rani S, Pandey RK. Recent advances in CAR T-cell engineering using synthetic biology: Paving the way for next-generation cancer treatment. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2024; 140:91-156. [PMID: 38762281 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
This book chapter highlights a comprehensive exploration of the transformative innovations in the field of cancer immunotherapy. CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) T-cell therapy represents a groundbreaking approach to treat cancer by reprogramming a patient immune cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells. This chapter underscores the critical role of synthetic biology in enhancing the safety and effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapies. It begins by emphasizing the growing importance of personalized medicine in cancer treatment, emphasizing the shift from one-size-fits-all approaches to patient-specific solutions. Synthetic biology, a multidisciplinary field, has been instrumental in customizing CAR T-cell therapies, allowing for fine-tuned precision and minimizing unwanted side effects. The chapter highlights recent advances in gene editing, synthetic gene circuits, and molecular engineering, showcasing how these technologies are optimizing CAR T-cell function. In summary, this book chapter sheds light on the remarkable progress made in the development of CAR T-cell therapies using synthetic biology, providing hope for cancer patients and hinting at a future where highly personalized and effective cancer treatments are the norm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangita Dey
- CSO Department, Cellworks Research India Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Moodu Devender
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Swati Rani
- ICAR, National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Rajan Kumar Pandey
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden.
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13
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Moraes Ribeiro E, Secker KA, Nitulescu AM, Schairer R, Keppeler H, Wesle A, Schmid H, Schmitt A, Neuber B, Chmiest D, Podavini S, Märklin M, Klimovich B, Schmitt M, Korkmaz F, Lengerke C, Schneidawind C, Schneidawind D. PD-1 checkpoint inhibition enhances the antilymphoma activity of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells that retain their ability to prevent alloreactivity. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007829. [PMID: 38296597 PMCID: PMC10831439 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relapse and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are the main causes of death after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Preclinical murine models and clinical data suggest that invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells prevent acute and chronic GVHD. In addition, iNKT cells are crucial for efficient immune responses against malignancies and contribute to reduced relapse rates after transplantation. Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) redirect effector cells to cell surface antigens and enhance killing of target cells. With this study, we aimed to combine enhanced cytotoxicity of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells against lymphoma cells with their tolerogenic properties. METHODS iNKT cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and transduced with an anti-CD19-CAR retrovirus. After in vitro expansion, the functionality of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells was assessed by flow cytometry, image stream analysis and multiplex analysis in single-stimulation or repeated-stimulation assays. Moreover, the immunoregulatory properties of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells were analyzed in apoptosis assays and in mixed lymphocyte reactions. The effect of checkpoint inhibition through nivolumab was analyzed in these settings. RESULTS In this study, we could show that the cytotoxicity of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells was mediated either through engagement of their CAR or their invariant T-cell receptor, which may circumvent loss of response through antigen escape. However, encounter of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells with their target induced a phenotype of exhaustion. Consequently, checkpoint inhibition increased cytokine release, cytotoxicity and survival of CD19-CAR-iNKT cells. Additionally, they showed robust suppression of alloreactive immune responses. CONCLUSION In this work, we demonstrate that CAR-iNKT cells are a powerful cytotherapeutic option to prevent or treat relapse while potentially reducing the risk of GVHD after allogeneic HCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Moraes Ribeiro
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kathy-Ann Secker
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ana-Maria Nitulescu
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rebekka Schairer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hildegard Keppeler
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anton Wesle
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hannes Schmid
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anita Schmitt
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Brigitte Neuber
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniela Chmiest
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Podavini
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Märklin
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Boris Klimovich
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Schmitt
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fulya Korkmaz
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Corina Schneidawind
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Schneidawind
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Liu Y, Dang Y, Zhang C, Liu L, Cai W, Li L, Fang L, Wang M, Xu S, Wang G, Zheng J, Li H. IL-21-armored B7H3 CAR-iNKT cells exert potent antitumor effects. iScience 2024; 27:108597. [PMID: 38179061 PMCID: PMC10765065 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108597] [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: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
CD1d-restricted invariant NKT (iNKT) cells play a critical role in tumor immunity. However, the scarcity and limited persistence restricts their development and clinical application. Here, we demonstrated that iNKT cells could be efficiently expanded using modified cytokines combination from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Introduction of IL-21 significantly increased the frequency of CD62L-positive memory-like iNKT cells. iNKT cells armoring with B7H3-targeting second generation CAR and IL-21 showed potent tumor cell killing activity. Moreover, co-expression of IL-21 promoted the activation of Stat3 signaling and reduced the expression of exhaustion markers in CAR-iNKT cells in vitro. Most importantly, IL-21-arming significantly prolonged B7H3 CAR-iNKT cell proliferation and survival in vivo, thus improving their therapeutic efficacy in mouse renal cancer xerograph models without observed cytokine-related adverse events. In summary, these results suggest that B7H3 CAR-iNKT armored with IL-21 is a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Liu
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Yuanyuan Dang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Chuhan Zhang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Liu Liu
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Wenhui Cai
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Liantao Li
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Med-ical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Lin Fang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Med-ical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Med-ical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Shunzhe Xu
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Med-ical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Junnian Zheng
- Center of Clinical Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Med-ical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Huizhong Li
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Center of Clinical Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 99 West Huaihai Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Med-ical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
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15
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Landoni E, Woodcock MG, Barragan G, Casirati G, Cinella V, Stucchi S, Flick LM, Withers TA, Hudson H, Casorati G, Dellabona P, Genovese P, Savoldo B, Metelitsa LS, Dotti G. IL-12 reprograms CAR-expressing natural killer T cells to long-lived Th1-polarized cells with potent antitumor activity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:89. [PMID: 38167707 PMCID: PMC10762263 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44310-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Human natural killer T cells (NKTs) are innate-like T lymphocytes increasingly used for cancer immunotherapy. Here we show that human NKTs expressing the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12) undergo extensive and sustained molecular and functional reprogramming. Specifically, IL-12 instructs and maintains a Th1-polarization program in NKTs in vivo without causing their functional exhaustion. Furthermore, using CD62L as a marker of memory cells in human NKTs, we observe that IL-12 maintains long-term CD62L-expressing memory NKTs in vivo. Notably, IL-12 initiates a de novo programming of memory NKTs in CD62L-negative NKTs indicating that human NKTs circulating in the peripheral blood possess an intrinsic differentiation hierarchy, and that IL-12 plays a role in promoting their differentiation to long-lived Th1-polarized memory cells. Human NKTs engineered to co-express a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) coupled with the expression of IL-12 show enhanced antitumor activity in leukemia and neuroblastoma tumor models, persist long-term in vivo and conserve the molecular signature driven by the IL-12 expression. Thus IL-12 reveals an intrinsic plasticity of peripheral human NKTs that may play a crucial role in the development of cell therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Landoni
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mark G Woodcock
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gabriel Barragan
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gabriele Casirati
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, Boston, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Vincenzo Cinella
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, Boston, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Simone Stucchi
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Leah M Flick
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tracy A Withers
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hanna Hudson
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Giulia Casorati
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Dellabona
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Genovese
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, Boston, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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16
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Das R. T Cell Receptor-Engaging Monoclonal Antibodies Mobilize the Anti-Tumor Functions of Invariant Natural Killer T Cells. Crit Rev Oncog 2024; 29:69-81. [PMID: 38421715 PMCID: PMC11062185 DOI: 10.1615/critrevoncog.2023049947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKTs) are innate-type T lymphocytes that directly kill tumor cells or tumor-growth promoting immunosuppressive cells such astumor-associated macrophages. Additionally, iNKTs robustly transactivate the antitumor functions of T, B, natural killer, and dendritic cells as well as reinvigorate exhausted immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. As such, iNKTs make excellent candidates for inclusion in anti-cancer cellular therapies. However, to capitalize on the potential benefits of iNKT cell-based approaches, it is imperative that we develop new and clinically viable strategies to enhance their antitumor function. To that end, two novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that selectively bind to the human (NKTT320) or murine (NKT14m) invariant T cell receptor have been recently developed and characterized. Studies using purified human iNKTs (in vitro) and a model of non-human primate (in vivo) reveal that NKTT320 promotes swift, vigorous and sustained iNKT cell activation that is accompanied by robust production of inflammatory mediators and bystander immune cell activation. Furthermore, NKTT320 augments expression of cytotoxic markers and human iNKT cell degranulation. Similarly, NKT14m prompts dramatic murine iNKT cell activation and functional response both in vitro and in vivo. However, antitumor efficacy of a single dose of NKT14m injection in tumor-bearing mice is limited and tumor-model dependent. In contrast, combination treatment of NKT14m with either low dose interleukin (IL)-12 or the chemotherapeutic agent, cyclophosphamide results in a superior antitumor response in vivo. This is evident by activation of both iNKTs and other immune cells, prolonged survival of the tumor-challenged mice, and long-lasting immunity. Collectively, these recent studies justify further development of anti-iTCR mAbs that can be used alone or in conjunction with immunomodulatory agents to enhance iNKT cell antitumor immunity against various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupali Das
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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17
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Stip MC, Teeuwen L, Dierselhuis MP, Leusen JHW, Krijgsman D. Targeting the myeloid microenvironment in neuroblastoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:337. [PMID: 38087370 PMCID: PMC10716967 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02913-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells (granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages) play an important role in neuroblastoma. By inducing a complex immunosuppressive network, myeloid cells pose a challenge for the adaptive immune system to eliminate tumor cells, especially in high-risk neuroblastoma. This review first summarizes the pro- and anti-tumorigenic functions of myeloid cells, including granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) during the development and progression of neuroblastoma. Secondly, we discuss how myeloid cells are engaged in the current treatment regimen and explore novel strategies to target these cells in neuroblastoma. These strategies include: (1) engaging myeloid cells as effector cells, (2) ablating myeloid cells or blocking the recruitment of myeloid cells to the tumor microenvironment and (3) reprogramming myeloid cells. Here we describe that despite their immunosuppressive traits, tumor-associated myeloid cells can still be engaged as effector cells, which is clear in anti-GD2 immunotherapy. However, their full potential is not yet reached, and myeloid cell engagement can be enhanced, for example by targeting the CD47/SIRPα axis. Though depletion of myeloid cells or blocking myeloid cell infiltration has been proven effective, this strategy also depletes possible effector cells for immunotherapy from the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, reprogramming of suppressive myeloid cells might be the optimal strategy, which reverses immunosuppressive traits, preserves myeloid cells as effectors of immunotherapy, and subsequently reactivates tumor-infiltrating T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein C Stip
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Loes Teeuwen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jeanette H W Leusen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle Krijgsman
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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18
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Yi M, Li T, Niu M, Mei Q, Zhao B, Chu Q, Dai Z, Wu K. Exploiting innate immunity for cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:187. [PMID: 38008741 PMCID: PMC10680233 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01885-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment paradigms of various types of cancers. However, most of these immunomodulatory strategies focus on harnessing adaptive immunity, mainly by inhibiting immunosuppressive signaling with immune checkpoint blockade, or enhancing immunostimulatory signaling with bispecific T cell engager and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell. Although these agents have already achieved great success, only a tiny percentage of patients could benefit from immunotherapies. Actually, immunotherapy efficacy is determined by multiple components in the tumor microenvironment beyond adaptive immunity. Cells from the innate arm of the immune system, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, neutrophils, natural killer cells, and unconventional T cells, also participate in cancer immune evasion and surveillance. Considering that the innate arm is the cornerstone of the antitumor immune response, utilizing innate immunity provides potential therapeutic options for cancer control. Up to now, strategies exploiting innate immunity, such as agonists of stimulator of interferon genes, CAR-macrophage or -natural killer cell therapies, metabolic regulators, and novel immune checkpoint blockade, have exhibited potent antitumor activities in preclinical and clinical studies. Here, we summarize the latest insights into the potential roles of innate cells in antitumor immunity and discuss the advances in innate arm-targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yi
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, People's Republic of China
- Department of Breast Surgery, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianye Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Mei
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Breast Surgery, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Chu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhijun Dai
- Department of Breast Surgery, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kongming Wu
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
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19
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Zappa E, Vitali A, Anders K, Molenaar JJ, Wienke J, Künkele A. Adoptive cell therapy in paediatric extracranial solid tumours: current approaches and future challenges. Eur J Cancer 2023; 194:113347. [PMID: 37832507 PMCID: PMC10695178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has ignited hope to cure paediatric solid tumours that resist traditional therapies. Among the most promising methods is adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Particularly, ACT using T cells equipped with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) has moved into the spotlight in clinical studies. However, the efficacy of ACT is challenged by ACT-intrinsic factors, like lack of activation or T cell exhaustion, as well as immune evasion strategies of paediatric solid tumours, such as their highly immunosuppressive microenvironment. Novel strategies, including ACT using innate-like lymphocytes, innovative cell engineering techniques, and ACT combination therapies, are being developed and will be crucial to overcome these challenges. Here, we discuss the main classes of ACT for the treatment of paediatric extracranial solid tumours, reflect on the available preclinical and clinical evidence supporting promising strategies, and address the challenges that ACT is still facing. Ultimately, we highlight state-of-the-art developments and opportunities for new therapeutic options, which hold great potential for improving outcomes in this challenging patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Zappa
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alice Vitali
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Kathleen Anders
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Judith Wienke
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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20
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Rios X, Pardias O, Morales MA, Bhattacharya P, Chen Y, Guo L, Zhang C, Di Pierro EJ, Tian G, Barragan GA, Sumazin P, Metelitsa LS. Refining chimeric antigen receptors via barcoded protein domain combination pooled screening. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3210-3224. [PMID: 37705245 PMCID: PMC10638030 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells represent a promising frontier in cancer immunotherapy. However, the current process for developing new CAR constructs is time consuming and inefficient. To address this challenge and expedite the evaluation and comparison of full-length CAR designs, we have devised a novel cloning strategy. This strategy involves the sequential assembly of individual CAR domains using blunt ligation, with each domain being assigned a unique DNA barcode. Applying this method, we successfully generated 360 CAR constructs that specifically target clinically validated tumor antigens CD19 and GD2. By quantifying changes in barcode frequencies through next-generation sequencing, we characterize CARs that best mediate proliferation and expansion of transduced T cells. The screening revealed a crucial role for the hinge domain in CAR functionality, with CD8a and IgG4 hinges having opposite effects in the surface expression, cytokine production, and antitumor activity in CD19- versus GD2-based CARs. Importantly, we discovered two novel CD19-CAR architectures containing the IgG4 hinge domain that mediate superior in vivo antitumor activity compared with the construct used in Kymriah, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy. This novel screening approach represents a major advance in CAR engineering, enabling accelerated development of cell-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Rios
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Osmay Pardias
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marc A Morales
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pradyot Bhattacharya
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yibin Chen
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linjie Guo
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chunchao Zhang
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Erica J Di Pierro
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gengwen Tian
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gabriel A Barragan
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pavel Sumazin
- Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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21
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Jiang W, Gu G, Zhang Y, Song Y, Shi M, Wang G, Li H, Tao T, Qin J, Li X, Jia H, Jiao F, Xu W, Huang X. Novel mesothelin-targeted chimeric antigen receptor-modified UNKT cells are highly effective in inhibiting tumor progression. Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106942. [PMID: 37775021 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The design of chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) significantly enhances the antitumor efficacy of T cells. Although some CAR-T products have been approved by FDA in treating hematological tumors, adoptive immune therapy still faces many difficulties and challenges in the treatment of solid tumors. In this study, we reported a new strategy to treat solid tumors using a natural killer-like T (NKT) cell line which showed strong cytotoxicity to lyse 15 cancer cell lines, safe to normal cells and had low or no Graft-versus-host activity. We thus named it as universal NKT (UNKT). In both direct and indirect 3D tumor-like organ model, UNKT showed efficient tumor-killing properties, indicating that it could penetrate the microenvironment of solid tumors. In mesothelin (MSLN)-positive tumor cells (SKOV-3 and MCF-7), MSLN targeting CAR modified-UNKT cells had enhanced killing potential against MSLN positive ovarian cancer compared with the wild type UNKT, as well as MSLN-CAR-T cells. Compared with CAR-T, Single-cell microarray 32-plex proteomics revealed CAR-UNKT cells express more effector cytokines, such as perforin and granzyme B, and less interleukin-6 after activation. Moreover, our CAR-UNKT cells featured in more multifunctionality than CAR-T cells. CAR-UNKT cells also demonstrated strong antitumor activity in mouse models of ovarian cancer, with the ability to migrate and infiltrate the tumor without inducing immune memory. The fast-in and -out, enhanced and prolonged tumor killing properties of CAR-UNKT suggested a novel cure option of cellular immunotherapy in the treatment of MSLN-positive solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- Biotherapy Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Guosheng Gu
- Abelow Pharmaceuticals Inc., 10 Xinghuo Road, Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Yumin Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yushuai Song
- Biotherapy Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Ming Shi
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China; Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China; Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Huizhong Li
- Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China; Jiangsu Center for the Collaboration and Innovation of Cancer Biotherapy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Tingting Tao
- CAS Key Laboratory of SSAC, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jianhua Qin
- CAS Key Laboratory of SSAC, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; Beijing Institute For Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China; Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Xianliang Li
- Department of HBP Surgery,Beijing Chao Yang Hospital,The Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Hongtao Jia
- Abelow Pharmaceuticals Inc., 10 Xinghuo Road, Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Feng Jiao
- Abelow Pharmaceuticals Inc., 10 Xinghuo Road, Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China
| | - Weidong Xu
- Abelow Pharmaceuticals Inc., 10 Xinghuo Road, Jiangbei New Area, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, China.
| | - Xiaoyi Huang
- Biotherapy Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Cell Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150001, China.
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22
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Bulliard Y, Andersson BS, Baysal MA, Damiano J, Tsimberidou AM. Reprogramming T cell differentiation and exhaustion in CAR-T cell therapy. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:108. [PMID: 37880715 PMCID: PMC10601191 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01504-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell differentiation is a highly regulated, multi-step process necessary for the progressive establishment of effector functions, immunological memory, and long-term control of pathogens. In response to strong stimulation, as seen in severe or chronic infections or cancer, T cells acquire a state of hypo-responsiveness known as exhaustion, limiting their effector function. Recent advances in autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies have revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies by taking advantage of the basic principles of T cell biology to engineer products that promote long-lasting T cell response. However, many patients' malignancies remain unresponsive to treatment or are prone to recur. Discoveries in T cell biology, including the identification of key regulators of differentiation and exhaustion, offer novel opportunities to have a durable impact on the fate of CAR-T cells after infusion. Such next-generation CAR-T cell therapies and their clinical implementation may result in the next leap forward in cancer treatment for selected patients. In this context, this review summarizes the foundational principles of T cell differentiation and exhaustion and describes how they can be utilized and targeted to further improve the design and efficacy of CAR-T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Borje S Andersson
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Mehmet A Baysal
- Unit 455, Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jason Damiano
- Appia Bio, 6160 Bristol Pkwy, Culver City, CA, 90230, USA
| | - Apostolia M Tsimberidou
- Unit 455, Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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23
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Rotolo A, Whelan EC, Atherton MJ, Kulikovskaya I, Jarocha D, Fraietta JA, Kim MM, Diffenderfer ES, Cengel KA, Piviani M, Radaelli E, Duran-Struuck R, Mason NJ. Unedited allogeneic iNKT cells show extended persistence in MHC-mismatched canine recipients. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101241. [PMID: 37852175 PMCID: PMC10591065 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Allogeneic invariant natural killer T cells (allo-iNKTs) induce clinical remission in patients with otherwise incurable cancers and COVID-19-related acute respiratory failure. However, their functionality is inconsistent among individuals, and they become rapidly undetectable after infusion, raising concerns over rejection and limited therapeutic potential. We validate a strategy to promote allo-iNKT persistence in dogs, an established large-animal model for novel cellular therapies. We identify donor-specific iNKT biomarkers of survival and sustained functionality, conserved in dogs and humans and retained upon chimeric antigen receptor engineering. We reason that infusing optimal allo-iNKTs enriched in these biomarkers will prolong their persistence without requiring MHC ablation, high-intensity chemotherapy, or cytokine supplementation. Optimal allo-iNKTs transferred into MHC-mismatched dogs remain detectable for at least 78 days, exhibiting sustained immunomodulatory effects. Our canine model will accelerate biomarker discovery of optimal allo-iNKT products, furthering application of MHC-unedited allo-iNKTs as a readily accessible universal platform to treat incurable conditions worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Rotolo
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Eoin C Whelan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew J Atherton
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Irina Kulikovskaya
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Danuta Jarocha
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Joseph A Fraietta
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michele M Kim
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eric S Diffenderfer
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Keith A Cengel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Martina Piviani
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Enrico Radaelli
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Raimon Duran-Struuck
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicola J Mason
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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24
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Wu Q, Bai S, Su M, Zhang Y, Chen X, Yue T, Xu L, Wang L, Xie D, Li S, Li X, Fu S, Wang L, Tian C, Pan J, Huang Y, Cai Y, Wang Y, Hu F, Li F, Zhang H, Bai L. HIVEP3 inhibits fate decision of CD8+ invariant NKT cells after positive selection. J Leukoc Biol 2023; 114:335-346. [PMID: 37479674 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad082] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
CD8+ invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are functionally different from other iNKT cells and are enriched in human but not in mouse. To date, their developmental pathway and molecular basis for fate decision remain unclear. Here, we report enrichment of CD8+ iNKT cells in neonatal mice due to their more rapid maturation kinetics than CD8- iNKT cells. Along developmental trajectories, CD8+ and CD8- iNKT cells separate at stage 0, following stage 0 double-positive iNKT cells, and differ in HIVEP3 expression. HIVEP3 is lowly expressed in stage 0 CD8+ iNKT cells and negatively controls their development, whereas it is highly expressed in stage 0 CD8- iNKT cells and positively controls their development. Despite no effect on IFN-γ, HIVEP3 inhibits granzyme B but promotes interleukin-4 production in CD8+ iNKT cells. Together, we reveal that, as a negative regulator for CD8+ iNKT fate decision, low expression of HIVEP3 in stage 0 CD8+ iNKT cells favors their development and T helper 1-biased cytokine responses as well as high cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qielan Wu
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Shiyu Bai
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Miya Su
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Xuran Chen
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Ting Yue
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Linfeng Xu
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 160 Pujian Road, Pudong Disctrict, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Di Xie
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Shuhang Li
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Sicheng Fu
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Chenxi Tian
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jun Pan
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yuanyuan Huang
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yuting Cai
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Fang Hu
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Fengyin Li
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Li Bai
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
- Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, 4090 Susong Road, Shushan District, Hefei 230601, China
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 443 Huangshan Street, Shushan District, Hefei 230027, China
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25
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Matsumoto M, Tashiro S, Ito T, Takahashi K, Hashimoto G, Kajihara J, Miyahara Y, Shiku H, Katsumoto Y. Fully closed cell sorter for immune cell therapy manufacturing. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:367-376. [PMID: 37637381 PMCID: PMC10457513 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
By analyzing patients treated with adoptive immune cell therapies, various immune cell phenotypes have been found in the starting and infused materials as determinants of sustained remission. The isolation of these specific phenotypes for clinical use requires current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP)-compliant cell-sorting technologies with multiparameter selection capabilities. Here, we developed a cGMP-requirement-applicable fully closed cell sorter that has a suction mechanism and multiparameter detection using two laser optical settings. Negative pressure generated by a change in the chamber volume at a sorting point allows the isolation of cells of interest with high viability and purity. Our study demonstrated that this microfluidic sorter enables the isolation of cells of interest at an effective rate of 7,000 sorts per second on average. A purity of 85.5% and 77.1% effective yield with 93.7% viability was obtained when applying a target population of 35.9% in total (lymphocyte+CD8+) at 15,000 events per second (2 × 107 cells/mL). The sorted gene-modified T cells maintain largely unaltered proliferation, antigen recognition, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shinji Tashiro
- Tokyo Laboratory 11, R&D Center, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsumi Ito
- Tokyo Laboratory 11, R&D Center, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuya Takahashi
- Tokyo Laboratory 11, R&D Center, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gakuji Hashimoto
- Tokyo Laboratory 11, R&D Center, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junji Kajihara
- Tokyo Laboratory 11, R&D Center, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Miyahara
- Department of Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan
- Center for Comprehensive Cancer Immunotherapy, Mie University, Mie, Japan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Shiku
- Department of Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan
- Center for Comprehensive Cancer Immunotherapy, Mie University, Mie, Japan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan
| | - Yoichi Katsumoto
- Tokyo Laboratory 11, R&D Center, Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
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26
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Machy P, Mortier E, Birklé S. Biology of GD2 ganglioside: implications for cancer immunotherapy. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1249929. [PMID: 37670947 PMCID: PMC10475612 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1249929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Part of the broader glycosphingolipid family, gangliosides are composed of a ceramide bound to a sialic acid-containing glycan chain, and locate at the plasma membrane. Gangliosides are produced through sequential steps of glycosylation and sialylation. This diversity of composition is reflected in differences in expression patterns and functions of the various gangliosides. Ganglioside GD2 designates different subspecies following a basic structure containing three carbohydrate residues and two sialic acids. GD2 expression, usually restrained to limited tissues, is frequently altered in various neuroectoderm-derived cancers. While GD2 is of evident interest, its glycolipid nature has rendered research challenging. Physiological GD2 expression has been linked to developmental processes. Passing this stage, varying levels of GD2, physiologically expressed mainly in the central nervous system, affect composition and formation of membrane microdomains involved in surface receptor signaling. Overexpressed in cancer, GD2 has been shown to enhance cell survival and invasion. Furthermore, binding of antibodies leads to immune-independent cell death mechanisms. In addition, GD2 contributes to T-cell dysfunction, and functions as an immune checkpoint. Given the cancer-associated functions, GD2 has been a source of interest for immunotherapy. As a potential biomarker, methods are being developed to quantify GD2 from patients' samples. In addition, various therapeutic strategies are tested. Based on initial success with antibodies, derivates such as bispecific antibodies and immunocytokines have been developed, engaging patient immune system. Cytotoxic effectors or payloads may be redirected based on anti-GD2 antibodies. Finally, vaccines can be used to mount an immune response in patients. We review here the pertinent biological information on GD2 which may be of use for optimizing current immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stéphane Birklé
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, CNRS, CRCI2NA, Nantes, France
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Zhang P, Zhang G, Wan X. Challenges and new technologies in adoptive cell therapy. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:97. [PMID: 37596653 PMCID: PMC10439661 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01492-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) have existed for decades. From the initial infusion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to the subsequent specific enhanced T cell receptor (TCR)-T and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies, many novel strategies for cancer treatment have been developed. Owing to its promising outcomes, CAR-T cell therapy has revolutionized the field of ACTs, particularly for hematologic malignancies. Despite these advances, CAR-T cell therapy still has limitations in both autologous and allogeneic settings, including practicality and toxicity issues. To overcome these challenges, researchers have focused on the application of CAR engineering technology to other types of immune cell engineering. Consequently, several new cell therapies based on CAR technology have been developed, including CAR-NK, CAR-macrophage, CAR-γδT, and CAR-NKT. In this review, we describe the development, advantages, and possible challenges of the aforementioned ACTs and discuss current strategies aimed at maximizing the therapeutic potential of ACTs. We also provide an overview of the various gene transduction strategies employed in immunotherapy given their importance in immune cell engineering. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility that strategies capable of creating a positive feedback immune circuit, as healthy immune systems do, could address the flaw of a single type of ACT, and thus serve as key players in future cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengchao Zhang
- Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Guizhong Zhang
- Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaochun Wan
- Center for Protein and Cell-based Drugs, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
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28
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Lv Z, Luo F, Chu Y. Strategies for overcoming bottlenecks in allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1199145. [PMID: 37554322 PMCID: PMC10405079 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1199145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is a revolutionary breakthrough in immunotherapy and has made impressive progress in both preclinical and clinical studies. However, autologous CAR-T cells still have notable drawbacks in clinical manufacture, such as long production time, variable cell potency and possible manufacturing failures. Allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy is significantly superior to autologous CAR-T cell therapy in these aspects. The use of allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy may provide simplified manufacturing process and allow the creation of 'off-the-shelf' products, facilitating the treatments of various types of tumors at less delivery time. Nevertheless, severe graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) or host-mediated allorejection may occur in the allogeneic setting, implying that addressing these two critical issues is urgent for the clinical application of allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy. In this review, we summarize the current approaches to overcome GvHD and host rejection, which empower allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy with a broader future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixin Lv
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Biotherapy Research Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Feifei Luo
- Biotherapy Research Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiwei Chu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Biotherapy Research Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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29
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Zhang Y, Xue W, Xu C, Nan Y, Mei S, Ju D, Wang S, Zhang X. Innate Immunity in Cancer Biology and Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11233. [PMID: 37510993 PMCID: PMC10379825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411233] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies including adaptive immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, have developed the treatment of cancer in clinic, and most of them focus on activating T cell immunity. Although these strategies have obtained unprecedented clinical responses, only limited subsets of cancer patients could receive long-term benefits, highlighting the demand for identifying novel targets for the new era of tumor immunotherapy. Innate immunity has been demonstrated to play a determinative role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and influence the clinical outcomes of tumor patients. A thorough comprehension of the innate immune cells that infiltrate tumors would allow for the development of new therapeutics. In this review, we outline the role and mechanism of innate immunity in TME. Moreover, we discuss innate immunity-based cancer immunotherapy in basic and clinical studies. Finally, we summarize the challenges in sufficiently motivating innate immune responses and the corresponding strategies and measures to improve anti-tumor efficacy. This review could aid the comprehension of innate immunity and inspire the creation of brand-new immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxia Zhang
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wenjing Xue
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Caili Xu
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yanyang Nan
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shuang Mei
- Shanghai Tinova Immune Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201413, China
| | - Dianwen Ju
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shaofei Wang
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xuyao Zhang
- Department of Biological Medicines & Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
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30
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Heczey A, Xu X, Courtney AN, Tian G, Barragan GA, Guo L, Amador CM, Ghatwai N, Rathi P, Wood MS, Li Y, Zhang C, Demberg T, Di Pierro EJ, Sher AC, Zhang H, Mehta B, Thakkar SG, Grilley B, Wang T, Weiss BD, Montalbano A, Subramaniam M, Xu C, Sachar C, Wells DK, Dotti G, Metelitsa LS. Anti-GD2 CAR-NKT cells in relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma: updated phase 1 trial interim results. Nat Med 2023; 29:1379-1388. [PMID: 37188782 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02363-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Vα24-invariant natural killer T cells (NKTs) have anti-tumor properties that can be enhanced by chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Here we report updated interim results from the first-in-human phase 1 evaluation of autologous NKTs co-expressing a GD2-specific CAR with interleukin 15 (IL15) (GD2-CAR.15) in 12 children with neuroblastoma (NB). The primary objectives were safety and determination of maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The anti-tumor activity of GD2-CAR.15 NKTs was assessed as a secondary objective. Immune response evaluation was an additional objective. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred; one patient experienced grade 2 cytokine release syndrome that was resolved by tocilizumab. The MTD was not reached. The objective response rate was 25% (3/12), including two partial responses and one complete response. The frequency of CD62L+NKTs in products correlated with CAR-NKT expansion in patients and was higher in responders (n = 5; objective response or stable disease with reduction in tumor burden) than non-responders (n = 7). BTG1 (BTG anti-proliferation factor 1) expression was upregulated in peripheral GD2-CAR.15 NKTs and is a key driver of hyporesponsiveness in exhausted NKT and T cells. GD2-CAR.15 NKTs with BTG1 knockdown eliminated metastatic NB in a mouse model. We conclude that GD2-CAR.15 NKTs are safe and can mediate objective responses in patients with NB. Additionally, their anti-tumor activity may be enhanced by targeting BTG1. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03294954 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Andras Heczey
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Amy N Courtney
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gengwen Tian
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gabriel A Barragan
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linjie Guo
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Claudia Martinez Amador
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nisha Ghatwai
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Purva Rathi
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael S Wood
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yanchuan Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chunchao Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thorsten Demberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Erica J Di Pierro
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew C Sher
- Department of Radiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Birju Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sachin G Thakkar
- Department of Medicine, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bambi Grilley
- Department of Medicine, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tao Wang
- Biostatistics and Data Management Resource, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Brian D Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Gianpietro Dotti
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Leonid S Metelitsa
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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31
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Hadiloo K, Tahmasebi S, Esmaeilzadeh A. CAR-NKT cell therapy: a new promising paradigm of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Cell Int 2023; 23:86. [PMID: 37158883 PMCID: PMC10165596 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-02923-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Today, cancer treatment is one of the fundamental problems facing clinicians and researchers worldwide. Efforts to find an excellent way to treat this illness continue, and new therapeutic strategies are developed quickly. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a practical approach that has been emerged to improve clinical outcomes in cancer patients. In the ACT, one of the best ways to arm the immune cells against tumors is by employing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) via genetic engineering. CAR equips cells to target specific antigens on tumor cells and selectively eradicate them. Researchers have achieved promising preclinical and clinical outcomes with different cells by using CARs. One of the potent immune cells that seems to be a good candidate for CAR-immune cell therapy is the Natural Killer-T (NKT) cell. NKT cells have multiple features that make them potent cells against tumors and would be a powerful replacement for T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. NKT cells are cytotoxic immune cells with various capabilities and no notable side effects on normal cells. The current study aimed to comprehensively provide the latest advances in CAR-NKT cell therapy for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaveh Hadiloo
- Student Research Committee, Department of immunology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Safa Tahmasebi
- Student Research Committee, Department of immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Abdolreza Esmaeilzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
- Cancer Gene Therapy Research Center (CGRC), Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
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32
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Mazinani M, Rahbarizadeh F. New cell sources for CAR-based immunotherapy. Biomark Res 2023; 11:49. [PMID: 37147740 PMCID: PMC10163725 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, in which a patient's own T lymphocytes are engineered to recognize and kill cancer cells, has achieved striking success in some hematological malignancies in preclinical and clinical trials, resulting in six FDA-approved CAR-T products currently available in the market. Despite impressive clinical outcomes, concerns about treatment failure associated with low efficacy or high cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells remain. While the main focus has been on improving CAR-T cells, exploring alternative cellular sources for CAR generation has garnered growing interest. In the current review, we comprehensively evaluated other cell sources rather than conventional T cells for CAR generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Mazinani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rahbarizadeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Iran.
- Research and Development Center of Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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33
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Ruf B, Greten TF, Korangy F. Innate lymphoid cells and innate-like T cells in cancer - at the crossroads of innate and adaptive immunity. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:351-371. [PMID: 37081117 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00562-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapies targeting conventional T cells have revolutionized systemic treatment for many cancers, yet only a subset of patients benefit from these approaches. A better understanding of the complex immune microenvironment of tumours is needed to design the next generation of immunotherapeutics. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and innate-like T cells (ILTCs) are abundant, tissue-resident lymphocytes that have recently been shown to have critical roles in many types of cancers. ILCs and ILTCs rapidly respond to changes in their surrounding environment and act as the first responders to bridge innate and adaptive immunity. This places ILCs and ILTCs as pivotal orchestrators of the final antitumour immune response. In this Review, we outline hallmarks of ILCs and ILTCs and discuss their emerging role in antitumour immunity, as well as the pathophysiological adaptations leading to their pro-tumorigenic function. We explore the pleiotropic, in parts redundant and sometimes opposing, mechanisms that underlie the delicate interplay between the different subsets of ILCs and ILTCs. Finally, we highlight their role in amplifying and complementing conventional T cell functions and summarize immunotherapeutic strategies for targeting ILCs and ILTCs in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Ruf
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Centre for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tim F Greten
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Centre for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- NCI CCR Liver Cancer Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Firouzeh Korangy
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Malignancies Branch, Centre for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Look A, Burns D, Tews I, Roghanian A, Mansour S. Towards a better understanding of human iNKT cell subpopulations for improved clinical outcomes. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1176724. [PMID: 37153585 PMCID: PMC10154573 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1176724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a unique T lymphocyte population expressing semi-invariant T cell receptors (TCRs) that recognise lipid antigens presented by CD1d. iNKT cells exhibit potent anti-tumour activity through direct killing mechanisms and indirectly through triggering the activation of other anti-tumour immune cells. Because of their ability to induce potent anti-tumour responses, particularly when activated by the strong iNKT agonist αGalCer, they have been the subject of intense research to harness iNKT cell-targeted immunotherapies for cancer treatment. However, despite potent anti-tumour efficacy in pre-clinical models, the translation of iNKT cell immunotherapy into human cancer patients has been less successful. This review provides an overview of iNKT cell biology and why they are of interest within the context of cancer immunology. We focus on the iNKT anti-tumour response, the seminal studies that first reported iNKT cytotoxicity, their anti-tumour mechanisms, and the various described subsets within the iNKT cell repertoire. Finally, we discuss several barriers to the successful utilisation of iNKT cells in human cancer immunotherapy, what is required for a better understanding of human iNKT cells, and the future perspectives facilitating their exploitation for improved clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Look
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Burns
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ivo Tews
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Roghanian
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Salah Mansour
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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35
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Courtney AN, Tian G, Metelitsa LS. Natural killer T cells and other innate-like T lymphocytes as emerging platforms for allogeneic cancer cell therapy. Blood 2023; 141:869-876. [PMID: 36347021 PMCID: PMC10023720 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022016201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have achieved major clinical success in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, these treatments remain largely ineffective for solid cancers and require significant time and resources to be manufactured in an autologous setting. Developing alternative immune effector cells as cancer immunotherapy agents that can be employed in allogeneic settings is crucial for the advancement of cell therapy. Unlike T cells, Vα24-invariant natural killer T cells (NKTs) are not alloreactive and can therefore be generated from allogeneic donors for rapid infusion into numerous patients without the risk of graft-versus-host disease. Additionally, NKT cells demonstrate inherent advantages over T-cell products, including the ability to traffic to tumor tissues, target tumor-associated macrophages, transactivate NK cells, and cross-prime tumor-specific CD8 T cells. Both unmodified NKTs, which specifically recognize CD1d-bound glycolipid antigens expressed by certain types of tumors, and CAR-redirected NKTs are being developed as the next generation of allogeneic cell therapy products. In this review, we describe studies on the biology of NKTs and other types of innate-like T cells and summarize the clinical experiences of unmodified and CAR-redirected NKTs, including recent interim reports on allogeneic NKTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N. Courtney
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Gengwen Tian
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Leonid S. Metelitsa
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advanced Innate Cell Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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36
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Bai S, Wu Q, Zhu S, Zhang Y, Chen X, Su M, Pan J, Li S, Yue T, Xu L, Xie D, Tian C, Zhao D, Li X, Hou J, Wang L, Fu S, Xue Y, Jiang A, Li D, Xu T, Tian Z, Zhou R, Zhang H, Bai L. Vam6 reduces iNKT cell function in tumor via modulating AMPK/mTOR pathways. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1051045. [PMID: 36741382 PMCID: PMC9892639 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1051045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of mTORC1 is essential for anti-tumor function of iNKT cells. The mechanisms underlying impaired mTORC1 activation in intratumoral iNKT cells remain unclear. Via generating Vam6+/- mice and using flow cytometry, image approach, and RNA sequencing, we studied the role of Vam6 in controlling mTORC1 activation and intratumoral iNKT cell functions. Here, we find that increased Vam6 expression in intratumoral iNKT cells leads to impaired mTORC1 activation and IFN-γ production. Mechanistically, Vam6 in iNKT cells is essential for Rab7a-Vam6-AMPK complex formation and thus for recruitment of AMPK to lysosome to activate AMPK, a negative regulator of mTORC1. Additionally, Vam6 relieves inhibitory effect of VDAC1 on Rab7a-Vam6-AMPK complex formation at mitochondria-lysosome contact site. Moreover, we report that lactic acid produced by tumor cells increases Vam6 expression in iNKT cells. Given the key roles of increased Vam6 in promoting AMPK activation in intratumoral iNKT cells, reducing Vam6 expression signifificantly enhances the mTORC1 activation in intratumoral iNKT cells as well as their anti-tumor effificacy. Together, we propose Vam6 as a target for iNKT cell-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Bai
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qielan Wu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shasha Zhu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xuran Chen
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Miya Su
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jun Pan
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shuhang Li
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ting Yue
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Linfeng Xu
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Di Xie
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Chenxi Tian
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Junjie Hou
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sicheng Fu
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yanhong Xue
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Amin Jiang
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Li
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhigang Tian
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Rongbin Zhou
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,*Correspondence: Huimin Zhang, ; Li Bai,
| | - Li Bai
- Department of Oncology of the First Affiliated Hospital, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, China,National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China,*Correspondence: Huimin Zhang, ; Li Bai,
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Kratzmeier C, Singh S, Asiedu EB, Webb TJ. Current Developments in the Preclinical and Clinical use of Natural Killer T cells. BioDrugs 2023; 37:57-71. [PMID: 36525216 PMCID: PMC9756707 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-022-00572-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer T (NKT) cells play a pivotal role as a bridge between the innate and the adaptive immune response and are instrumental in the regulation of homeostasis. In this review, we discuss the potential for NKT cells to serve as biodrugs in viral infections and in cancer. NKT cells are being investigated for their use as a prognostic biomarker, an immune adjuvant, and as a form of cellular therapy. Historically, the clinical utility of NKT cells was hampered by their low frequency in the blood, discrepancies in nomenclature, and challenges with ex vivo expansion. However, recent advances in the field have permitted the development of several NKT cell-based preclinical and clinical strategies. These new developments pave the way for the successful implementation of NKT cell-based approaches for the treatment of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Kratzmeier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore St, HSF I-Room 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Sasha Singh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore St, HSF I-Room 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Emmanuel B Asiedu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore St, HSF I-Room 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Tonya J Webb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 685 West Baltimore St, HSF I-Room 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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38
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Lulla PD, Brenner M. Emerging Challenges to Cellular Therapy of Cancer. Cancer J 2023; 29:20-27. [PMID: 36693154 PMCID: PMC9881841 DOI: 10.1097/ppo.0000000000000637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Cellular immunotherapy of cancer in the form of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cell therapy has become a standard treatment for lymphoid and more recently plasma cell malignancies. Although their successes in these cancers represent a breakthrough for adoptive cell therapy, there are several challenges to their continued growth in the field of cancer medicine. In this review, we discuss the progress made thus far toward achieving "off-the-shelf" accessibility of cell therapies that has the potential to greatly offset the costs associated with the current practice of making patient-specific products. We also review the innovations under investigation that attempt to make cellular therapy applicable to solid tumors as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premal D Lulla
- From the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX
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39
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Li D, Liu M, Wang J, Guo J, Xu N, Lu J. SOX chemotherapy with anti-PD-1 and iNKT cell immunotherapies for stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma with liver metastases: A case report. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1073094. [PMID: 36578494 PMCID: PMC9792132 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1073094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, with overall 5-year survival rate of approximate 20%. Although multimodal treatments that combine surgery with chemotherapy and immunotherapy have been shown to improve survival, pathological complete response (pCR) is rare in advanced GC patients with liver metastases. Pre-clinical studies and clinical trials have demonstrated the antitumor efficacy of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells in various malignancies, including GC. While multimodal therapy comprised of chemotherapy, anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) therapy, and iNKT cell immunotherapy have not been reported in GC patients. This case report describes the treatment of an early 60s patient diagnosed with advanced stage IVB (T1N1M1) adenocarcinomas of gastric cardia with liver metastases who received multimodal therapy comprised of SOX chemotherapy, anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) therapy, and iNKT cell immunotherapy followed by surgical resection. Dramatic decreases in tumor area were observed in both the primary tumor and metastatic lesions following six cycles of SOX chemotherapy and iNKT cell immunotherapy, and four cycles of anti-PD-1 therapy. This combined treatment resulted in the transformation of a remarkably large, unresectable liver metastases into a resectable tumor, and the patient received total gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection and liver metastasectomy. Subsequent pathological examination detected no cancer cells in either the primary site or liver metastatic lesions, supporting the likelihood that this treatment achieved pCR. To our knowledge, this report represents the first case of a metastatic gastric cancer patient displaying pCR after six months of multimodal therapy, thus supporting that a SOX chemotherapy, anti-PD-1 therapy, and iNKT cell immunotherapy combination strategy may be effective for treating, and potentially curing, patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezhao Li
- Hepatology and Cancer Biotherapy Ward, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Liu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jinhuan Wang
- Hepatology and Cancer Biotherapy Ward, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Guo
- Hepatology and Cancer Biotherapy Ward, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China,State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Hepatology and Cancer Biotherapy Ward, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Jun Lu,
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40
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Liu Y, An L, Huang R, Xiong J, Yang H, Wang X, Zhang X. Strategies to enhance CAR-T persistence. Biomark Res 2022; 10:86. [PMID: 36419115 PMCID: PMC9685914 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has significantly improved the life expectancy for patients with refractory or relapse B cell lymphoma. As for B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), although the primary response rate is promising, the high incidence of early relapse has caused modest long-term survival with CAR-T cell alone. One of the main challenges is the limited persistence of CAR-T cells. To further optimize the clinical effects of CAR-T cells, many studies have focused on modifying the CAR structure and regulating CAR-T cell differentiation. In this review, we focus on CAR-T cell persistence and summarize the latest progress and strategies adopted during the in vitro culture stage to optimize CAR-T immunotherapy by improving long-term persistence. Such strategies include choosing a suitable cell source, improving culture conditions, combining CAR-T cells with conventional drugs, and applying genetic manipulations, all of which may improve the survival of patients with hematologic malignancies by reducing the probability of recurrence after CAR-T cell infusion and provide clues for solid tumor CAR-T cell therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingna An
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruihao Huang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingkang Xiong
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Haoyu Yang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xi Zhang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, 400037, Chongqing, China. .,Jinfeng Laboratory, 401329, Chongqing, China.
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41
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Biederstädt A, Manzar GS, Daher M. Multiplexed engineering and precision gene editing in cellular immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1063303. [PMID: 36483551 PMCID: PMC9723254 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1063303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of cellular immunotherapy in the clinic has entirely redrawn the treatment landscape for a growing number of human cancers. Genetically reprogrammed immune cells, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune effector cells as well as T cell receptor (TCR) therapy, have demonstrated remarkable responses across different hard-to-treat patient populations. While these novel treatment options have had tremendous success in providing long-term remissions for a considerable fraction of treated patients, a number of challenges remain. Limited in vivo persistence and functional exhaustion of infused immune cells as well as tumor immune escape and on-target off-tumor toxicities are just some examples of the challenges which restrain the potency of today's genetically engineered cell products. Multiple engineering strategies are being explored to tackle these challenges.The advent of multiplexed precision genome editing has in recent years provided a flexible and highly modular toolkit to specifically address some of these challenges by targeted genetic interventions. This class of next-generation cellular therapeutics aims to endow engineered immune cells with enhanced functionality and shield them from immunosuppressive cues arising from intrinsic immune checkpoints as well as the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME). Previous efforts to introduce additional genetic modifications into immune cells have in large parts focused on nuclease-based tools like the CRISPR/Cas9 system or TALEN. However, nuclease-inactive platforms including base and prime editors have recently emerged and promise a potentially safer route to rewriting genetic sequences and introducing large segments of transgenic DNA without inducing double-strand breaks (DSBs). In this review, we discuss how these two exciting and emerging fields-cellular immunotherapy and precision genome editing-have co-evolved to enable a dramatic expansion in the possibilities to engineer personalized anti-cancer treatments. We will lay out how various engineering strategies in addition to nuclease-dependent and nuclease-inactive precision genome editing toolkits are increasingly being applied to overcome today's limitations to build more potent cellular therapeutics. We will reflect on how novel information-rich unbiased discovery approaches are continuously deepening our understanding of fundamental mechanisms governing tumor biology. We will conclude with a perspective of how multiplexed-engineered and gene edited cell products may upend today's treatment paradigms as they evolve into the next generation of more potent cellular immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Biederstädt
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Medicine III, Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gohar Shahwar Manzar
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - May Daher
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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42
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Castiello L, Santodonato L, Napolitano M, Carlei D, Montefiore E, Monque DM, D’Agostino G, Aricò E. Chimeric Antigen Receptor Immunotherapy for Solid Tumors: Choosing the Right Ingredients for the Perfect Recipe. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5351. [PMID: 36358770 PMCID: PMC9655484 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies are revolutionizing the clinical practice of hematological tumors, whereas minimal progresses have been achieved in the solid tumor arena. Multiple reasons have been ascribed to this slower pace: The higher heterogeneity, the hurdles of defining reliable tumor antigens to target, and the broad repertoire of immune escape strategies developed by solid tumors are considered among the major ones. Currently, several CAR therapies are being investigated in preclinical and early clinical trials against solid tumors differing in the type of construct, the cells that are engineered, and the additional signals included with the CAR constructs to overcome solid tumor barriers. Additionally, novel approaches in development aim at overcoming some of the limitations that emerged with the approved therapies, such as large-scale manufacturing, duration of manufacturing, and logistical issues. In this review, we analyze the advantages and challenges of the different approaches under development, balancing the scientific evidences supporting specific choices with the manufacturing and regulatory issues that are essential for their further clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Castiello
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Santodonato
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria Napolitano
- Research Coordination and Support Service, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Carlei
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Enrica Montefiore
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Domenica Maria Monque
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina D’Agostino
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Aricò
- Cell Factory FaBioCell, Core Facilities, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
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43
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Dogan M, Karhan E, Kozhaya L, Placek L, Chen X, Yigit M, Unutmaz D. Engineering Human MAIT Cells with Chimeric Antigen Receptors for Cancer Immunotherapy. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 209:1523-1531. [PMID: 36165183 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Engineering immune cells with chimeric Ag receptors (CARs) is a promising technology in cancer immunotherapy. Besides classical cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, innate cell types such as NK cells have also been used to generate CAR-T or CAR-NK cells. In this study, we devised an approach to program a nonclassical cytotoxic T cell subset called mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells into effective CAR-T cells against B cell lymphoma and breast cancer cells. Accordingly, we expressed anti-CD19 and anti-Her2 CARs in activated primary human MAIT cells and CD8+ T cells, expanded them in vitro, and compared their cytotoxicity against tumor cell targets. We show upon activation through CARs that CAR-MAIT cells exhibit high levels of cytotoxicity toward target cells, comparable to CD8+ CAR-T cells, but interestingly expressed lower levels of IFN-γ than conventional CAR CD8+ T cells. Additionally, in the presence of vitamin B2 metabolite 5-ARU (5-amino-4-d-ribitylaminouracil dihydrochloride), which is a conserved compound that activates MAIT cells through MHC class I-related (MR1) protein, MAIT cells killed MR1-expressing target breast cancer and B cell lymphoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, MAIT cells can be genetically edited as CAR-T cells or mobilized and expanded by MR1 ligands as an off-the-shelf novel approach to cell-based cancer immunotherapy strategies while being comparable to conventional methods in effectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikail Dogan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and
| | - Ece Karhan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and
| | - Lina Kozhaya
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and
| | - Lindsey Placek
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and
| | - Xin Chen
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and
| | - Mesut Yigit
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and
| | - Derya Unutmaz
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT; and .,Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
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44
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Li YR, Wilson M, Yang L. Target tumor microenvironment by innate T cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:999549. [PMID: 36275727 PMCID: PMC9582148 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.999549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) remains one of the most prevailing barriers obstructing the implementation of effective immunotherapy against solid-state cancers. Eminently composed of immunosuppressive tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) among others, the TME attenuates the effects of immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive cell therapies, mandating a novel therapy capable of TME remediation. In this review we explore the potential of three innate-like T cell subsets, invariant natural killer T (iNKT), mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, and gamma delta T (γδT) cells, that display an intrinsic anti-TAM/MDSC capacity. Exhibiting both innate and adaptive properties, innate-like T cell types express a subset-specific TCR with distinct recombination, morphology, and target cell recognition, further supplemented by a variety of NK activating receptors. Both NK activating receptor and TCR activation result in effector cell cytotoxicity against targeted immunosuppressive cells for TME remediation. In addition, innate-like T cells showcase moderate levels of tumor cell killing, providing dual antitumor and anti-TAM/MDSC function. This latent antitumor capacity can be further bolstered by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineering for recognition of tumor specific antigens to enhance antitumor targeting. In contrast with established CAR-T cell therapies, adoption of these innate-like cell types provides an enhanced safety profile without the risk of graft versus host disease (GvHD), due to their non-recognition of mismatched major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, for use as widely accessible, allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ruide Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Matthew Wilson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Lili Yang,
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Delfanti G, Cortesi F, Perini A, Antonini G, Azzimonti L, de Lalla C, Garavaglia C, Squadrito ML, Fedeli M, Consonni M, Sesana S, Re F, Shen H, Dellabona P, Casorati G. TCR-engineered iNKT cells induce robust antitumor response by dual targeting cancer and suppressive myeloid cells. Sci Immunol 2022; 7:eabn6563. [PMID: 35984893 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abn6563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapy with T cells engineered with tumor-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) holds promise for cancer treatment. However, suppressive cues generated in the tumor microenvironment (TME) can hinder the efficacy of these therapies, prompting the search for strategies to overcome these detrimental conditions and improve cellular therapeutic approaches. CD1d-restricted invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells actively participate in tumor immunosurveillance by restricting suppressive myeloid populations in the TME. Here, we showed that harnessing iNKT cells with a second TCR specific for a tumor-associated peptide generated bispecific effectors for CD1d- and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted antigens in vitro. Upon in vivo transfer, TCR-engineered iNKT (TCR-iNKT) cells showed the highest efficacy in restraining the progression of multiple tumors that expressed the cognate antigen compared with nontransduced iNKT cells or CD8+ T cells engineered with the same TCR. TCR-iNKT cells achieved robust cancer control by simultaneously modulating intratumoral suppressive myeloid populations and killing malignant cells. This dual antitumor function was further enhanced when the iNKT cell agonist α-galactosyl ceramide (α-GalCer) was administered as a therapeutic booster through a platform that ensured controlled delivery at the tumor site, named multistage vector (MSV). These preclinical results support the combination of tumor-redirected TCR-iNKT cells and local α-GalCer boosting as a potential therapy for patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Delfanti
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Filippo Cortesi
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Alessandra Perini
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Gaia Antonini
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | | | - Claudia de Lalla
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Claudio Garavaglia
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Mario L Squadrito
- Targeted Cancer Gene Therapy Unit, San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Maya Fedeli
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Michela Consonni
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Silvia Sesana
- BioNanoMedicine Center NANOMIB, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20854 Monza, Italy
| | - Francesca Re
- BioNanoMedicine Center NANOMIB, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20854 Monza, Italy
| | - Haifa Shen
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Paolo Dellabona
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Giulia Casorati
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
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Yu T, Yu SK, Xiang Y, Lu KH, Sun M. Revolution of CAR Engineering For Next-Generation Immunotherapy In Solid Tumors. Front Immunol 2022; 13:936496. [PMID: 35903099 PMCID: PMC9315443 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.936496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have enormous potentials for clinical therapies. The CAR-T therapy has been approved for treating hematological malignancies. However, their application is limited in solid tumors owing to antigen loss and mutation, physical barriers, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. To overcome the challenges of CAR-T, increasing efforts are put into developing CAR-T to expand its applied ranges. Varied receptors are utilized for recognizing tumor-associated antigens and relieving immunosuppression. Emerging co-stimulatory signaling is employed for CAR-T activation. Furthermore, other immune cells such as NK cells and macrophages have manifested potential for delivering CAR. Hence, we collected and summarized the last advancements of CAR engineering from three aspects, namely, the ectodomains, endogenous domains, and immune cells, aiming to inspire the design of next-generation adoptive immunotherapy for treating solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shao-kun Yu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Xiang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai-Hua Lu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Kai-Hua Lu, ; Ming Sun,
| | - Ming Sun
- Suzhou Cancer Center Core Laboratory, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Kai-Hua Lu, ; Ming Sun,
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Jeyakumar N, Smith M. Custom CARs: Leveraging the Adaptability of Allogeneic CAR Therapies to Address Current Challenges in Relapsed/Refractory DLBCL. Front Immunol 2022; 13:887866. [PMID: 35663947 PMCID: PMC9158546 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.887866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular therapies have transformed the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL), which typically does not respond well to salvage chemotherapy. Recently, approximately 40% of r/r DLBCL patients across three different trials achieved a complete remission at 1 year after receiving treatment with autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells (auto-CARs). These successes have prompted studies of auto-CARs in second-line settings, in which axicabtagene ciloleucel and lisocabtagene maraleucel both showed improved event-free survival over autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT). While encouraging, this data also highlights that 60% of patients relapse or progress following treatment with auto-CARs. Individual disease characteristics and logistical challenges of cell engineering also limit patients’ eligibility for auto-CARs. Allogeneic CAR T cells (allo-CARs) may address some of these limitations as they may mitigate delays associated with auto-CARs, thereby reducing the need for bridging chemotherapies and increasing availability of cellular products for patients with aggressive lymphomas. By being sourced from healthy donors who have never been exposed to cytotoxic chemotherapy, allo-CARs can be created from T cells with better fitness. Allo-CARs made from specific cellular subsets (e.g., stem cell memory or naïve/early memory T cells) may also have increased efficacy and long-term persistence. Additionally, allo-CARs have been successfully created from other cell types, including natural killer cells, gamma-delta T-cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. These cell types can be engineered to target viral antigens, enabling precision targeting of virally driven DLBCL. As allogeneic donor cells can be banked and cryopreserved in batches, they can be made more readily available, potentially reducing logistical hurdles and costs compared to engineering auto-CARs. This may ultimately create a more sustainable platform for cell therapies. Challenges with allo-CARs that will need to be addressed include graft versus host disease, alloimmunization, potentially decreased persistence relative to auto-CARs, and antigen escape. In short, the adaptability of allo-CARs makes them ideal for treating patients with r/r DLBCL who have progressed through standard chemotherapy, AHCT, or auto-CARs. Here, we review the published literature on patients with r/r DLBCL treated with allogeneic CAR products manufactured from various cell types as well as forthcoming allogeneic CAR technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikeshan Jeyakumar
- Divisions of Hematology and Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Melody Smith
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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Targeting Immunosuppressive Tumor-Associated Macrophages Using Innate T Cells for Enhanced Antitumor Reactivity. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112749. [PMID: 35681730 PMCID: PMC9179365 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of T cell-based and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cell-based antitumor immunotherapy has seen substantial developments in the past decade; however, considerable issues, such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and tumor-associated immunosuppression, have proven to be substantial roadblocks to widespread adoption and implementation. Recent developments in innate immune cell-based CAR therapy have opened several doors for the expansion of this therapy, especially as it relates to allogeneic cell sources and solid tumor infiltration. This study establishes in vitro killing assays to examine the TAM-targeting efficacy of MAIT, iNKT, and γδT cells. This study also assesses the antitumor ability of CAR-engineered innate T cells, evaluating their potential adoption for clinical therapies. The in vitro trials presented in this study demonstrate the considerable TAM-killing abilities of all three innate T cell types, and confirm the enhanced antitumor abilities of CAR-engineered innate T cells. The tumor- and TAM-targeting capacity of these innate T cells suggest their potential for antitumor therapy that supplements cytotoxicity with remediation of tumor microenvironment (TME)-immunosuppression.
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Mu-Mosley H, Ostermann L, Muftuoglu M, Vaidya A, Bonifant CL, Velasquez MP, Gottschalk S, Andreeff M. Transgenic Expression of IL15 Retains CD123-Redirected T Cells in a Less Differentiated State Resulting in Improved Anti-AML Activity in Autologous AML PDX Models. Front Immunol 2022; 13:880108. [PMID: 35615350 PMCID: PMC9124830 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.880108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy with T-cells expressing bispecific T-cell engagers (ENG T-cells) is a promising approach to improve the outcomes for patients with recurrent/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, similar to T-cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), their antitumor activity is limited in the setting of chronic antigen stimulation. We therefore set out to explore whether transgenic expression of IL15 improves the effector function of ENG T-cells targeting CD123-positive AML. T-cells expressing CD123-specific ENG (CD123-ENG) ± IL15 were generated by retroviral transduction from peripheral blood T cells from healthy donors or patients with AML. In this study, we characterized in detail the phenotype and effector functions of ENG T-cell populations in vitro and in vivo. IL15-expressing CD123-ENG (CD123-ENG.IL15) T-cells retained their antigen-specificity and effector function in the setting of chronic antigen exposure for more 30 days of coculture with AML blasts in contrast to CD123-ENG T-cells, whose effector function rapidly eroded. Furthermore, CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells remained in a less differentiated state as judged by a high frequency of naïve/memory stem T-cell-like cells (CD45RA+CCR7+/CD45RO−CD62L+ cells) without evidence of T-cell exhaustion. Single cell cytokine profiling using IsoPlexis revealed enhanced T-cell polyfunctionality of CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells as judged by effector cytokine production, including, granzyme B, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, perforin, TNF-α, and TNF-β. In vivo, CD123-ENG.IL15 T-cells exhibited superior antigen-specific anti-AML activity and T-cell persistence in both peripheral blood and tissues (BM, spleens, and livers), resulting in a significant survival advantage in one AML xenograft model and two autologous AML PDX models. In conclusion, we demonstrate here that the expansion, persistence, and anti-AML activity of CD123-ENG T-cells can be significantly improved by transgenic expression of IL15, which promotes a naïve/TSCM-like phenotype. However, we also highlight that targeting a single tumor antigen (CD123) can lead to immune escape, reinforcing the need to develop approaches to target multiple antigens. Likewise, our study demonstrates that it is feasible to evaluate autologous T cells in AML PDX models, which will be critical for future preclinical evaluations of next generation AML-redirected T-cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Mu-Mosley
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren Ostermann
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Muharrem Muftuoglu
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Abishek Vaidya
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Challice L. Bonifant
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mireya Paulina Velasquez
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Stephen Gottschalk
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael Andreeff, ; Stephen Gottschalk,
| | - Michael Andreeff
- Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Michael Andreeff, ; Stephen Gottschalk,
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Delfanti G, Dellabona P, Casorati G, Fedeli M. Adoptive Immunotherapy With Engineered iNKT Cells to Target Cancer Cells and the Suppressive Microenvironment. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:897750. [PMID: 35615083 PMCID: PMC9125179 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.897750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are T lymphocytes expressing a conserved semi-invariant TCR specific for lipid antigens (Ags) restricted for the monomorphic MHC class I-related molecule CD1d. iNKT cells infiltrate mouse and human tumors and play an important role in the immune surveillance against solid and hematological malignancies. Because of unique functional features, they are attractive platforms for adoptive cells immunotherapy of cancer compared to conventional T cells. iNKT cells can directly kill CD1d-expressing cancer cells, but also restrict immunosuppressive myelomonocytic populations in the tumor microenvironment (TME) via CD1d-cognate recognition, promoting anti-tumor responses irrespective of the CD1d expression by cancer cells. Moreover, iNKT cells can be adoptively transferred across MHC barriers without risk of alloreaction because CD1d molecules are identical in all individuals, in addition to their ability to suppress graft vs. host disease (GvHD) without impairing the anti-tumor responses. Within this functional framework, iNKT cells are successfully engineered to acquire a second antigen-specificity by expressing recombinant TCRs or Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) specific for tumor-associated antigens, enabling the direct targeting of antigen-expressing cancer cells, while maintaining their CD1d-dependent functions. These new evidences support the exploitation of iNKT cells for donor unrestricted, and possibly off the shelf, adoptive cell therapies enabling the concurrent targeting of cancer cells and suppressive microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Delfanti
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Gloria Delfanti
| | - Paolo Dellabona
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Casorati
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Giulia Casorati
| | - Maya Fedeli
- Experimental Immunology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Maya Fedeli
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