1
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Ortega MA, Boaru DL, De Leon-Oliva D, Fraile-Martinez O, García-Montero C, Rios L, Garrido-Gil MJ, Barrena-Blázquez S, Minaya-Bravo AM, Rios-Parra A, Álvarez-Mon M, Jiménez-Álvarez L, López-González L, Guijarro LG, Diaz R, Saez MA. PD-1/PD-L1 axis: implications in immune regulation, cancer progression, and translational applications. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00109-024-02463-3. [PMID: 38935130 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02463-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The PD-1/PD-L1 axis is a complex signaling pathway that has an important role in the immune system cells. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) acts as an immune checkpoint on the T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer (NK), macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), monocytes, and myeloid cells. Its ligand, the programmed cell death 1 ligand (PD-L1), is expressed in the surface of the antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The binding of both promotes the downregulation of the T cell response to ensure the activation to prevent the onset of chronic immune inflammation. This axis in the tumor microenvironment (TME) performs a crucial role in the tumor progression and the escape of the tumor by neutralizing the immune system, the engagement of PD-L1 with PD-1 in the T cell causes dysfunctions, neutralization, and exhaustion, providing the tumor mass production. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the functions of the PD-1/PD-L1 system in immune function, cancer, and the potential therapeutic implications of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway for cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Ortega
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain.
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain.
- Cancer Registry and Pathology Department, Principe de, Asturias University Hospital, Alcala de Henares, Spain.
| | - Diego Liviu Boaru
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Diego De Leon-Oliva
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Oscar Fraile-Martinez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cielo García-Montero
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Rios
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Maria J Garrido-Gil
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Silvestra Barrena-Blázquez
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Ana M Minaya-Bravo
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Rios-Parra
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Cancer Registry and Pathology Department, Principe de, Asturias University Hospital, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Melchor Álvarez-Mon
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Immune System Diseases-Rheumatology Service, University Hospital Principe de Asturias, CIBEREHD, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Laura Jiménez-Álvarez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Laura López-González
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Luis G Guijarro
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raul Diaz
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain.
- Surgery Service, University Hospital Principe de Asturias, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain.
| | - Miguel A Saez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, CIBEREHD, University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034, Madrid, Spain
- Pathological Anatomy Service, Central University Hospital of Defence-University of Alcalá (UAH) Madrid, Alcala de Henares, Spain
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2
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Li Z, Duan D, Li L, Peng D, Ming Y, Ni R, Liu Y. Tumor-associated macrophages in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: recent research progress. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1382256. [PMID: 38957393 PMCID: PMC11217528 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1382256] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the cancers that seriously threaten human health. Immunotherapy serves as the mainstay of treatment for HCC patients by targeting the programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis. However, the effectiveness of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment is limited when HCC becomes drug-resistant. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important factor in the negative regulation of PD-1 antibody targeted therapy in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Therefore, as an emerging direction in cancer immunotherapy research for the treatment of HCC, it is crucial to elucidate the correlations and mechanisms between TAMs and PD-1/PD-L1-mediated immune tolerance. This paper summarizes the effects of TAMs on the pathogenesis and progression of HCC and their impact on HCC anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, and further explores current potential therapeutic strategies that target TAMs in HCC, including eliminating TAMs in the TME, inhibiting TAMs recruitment to tumors and functionally repolarizing M2-TAMs (tumor-supportive) to M1-TAMs (antitumor type).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Rui Ni
- Department of Pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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3
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Arthur A, Nejmi S, Franchini DM, Espinos E, Millevoi S. PD-L1 at the crossroad between RNA metabolism and immunosuppression. Trends Mol Med 2024:S1471-4914(24)00096-0. [PMID: 38824002 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2024.04.008] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is a key component of tumor immunosuppression. The uneven therapeutic results of PD-L1 therapy have stimulated intensive studies to better understand the mechanisms underlying altered PD-L1 expression in cancer cells, and to determine whether, beyond its immune function, PD-L1 might have intracellular functions promoting tumor progression and resistance to treatments. In this Opinion, we focus on paradigmatic examples highlighting the central role of PD-L1 in post-transcriptional regulation, with PD-L1 being both a target and an effector of molecular mechanisms featured prominently in RNA research, such as RNA methylation, phase separation and RNA G-quadruplex structures, in order to highlight vulnerabilities on which future anti-PD-L1 therapies could be built.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Arthur
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), INSERM UMR 1037, CNRS UMR 5071, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France; Equipe Labellisée Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer, Toulouse, France
| | - Sanae Nejmi
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), INSERM UMR 1037, CNRS UMR 5071, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France; Equipe Labellisée Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer, Toulouse, France
| | - Don-Marc Franchini
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), INSERM UMR 1037, CNRS UMR 5071, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France; Institut Universitaire du Cancer de Toulouse-Oncopole, 31100 Toulouse, France; Laboratoire d'Excellence "TOUCAN-2", Toulouse, France; Institut Carnot Lymphome CALYM, Toulouse, France; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU), 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Estelle Espinos
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), INSERM UMR 1037, CNRS UMR 5071, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France; Equipe Labellisée Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer, Toulouse, France
| | - Stefania Millevoi
- Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), INSERM UMR 1037, CNRS UMR 5071, 31037 Toulouse, France; Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31330 Toulouse, France; Equipe Labellisée Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer, Toulouse, France.
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4
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Wang L, Liu X, Han Y, Tsai HI, Dan Z, Yang P, Xu Z, Shu F, He C, Eriksson JE, Zhu H, Chen H, Cheng F. TRAF6 enhances PD-L1 expression through YAP1-TFCP2 signaling in melanoma. Cancer Lett 2024; 590:216861. [PMID: 38583649 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy represented by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) monoclonal antibodies has led tumor treatment into a new era. However, the low overall response rate and high incidence of drug resistance largely damage the clinical benefits of existing immune checkpoint therapies. Recent studies correlate the response to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with PD-L1 expression levels in tumor cells. Hence, identifying molecular targets and pathways controlling PD-L1 protein expression and stability in tumor cells is a major priority. In this study, we performed a Stress and Proteostasis CRISPR interference screening to identify PD-L1 positive modulators. Here, we identified TRAF6 as a critical regulator of PD-L1 in melanoma cells. As a non-conventional E3 ubiquitin ligase, TRAF6 is inclined to catalyze the synthesis and linkage of lysine-63 (K63) ubiquitin which is related to the stabilization of substrate proteins. Our results showed that suppression of TRAF6 expression down-regulates PD-L1 expression on the membrane surface of melanoma cells. We then used in vitro and in vivo assays to investigate the biological function and mechanism of TRAF6 and its downstream YAP1/TFCP2 signaling in melanoma. TRAF6 stabilizes YAP1 by K63 poly-ubiquitination modification, subsequently promoting the formation of YAP1/TFCP2 transcriptional complex and PD-L1 transcription. Inhibition of TRAF6 by Bortezomib enhanced cytolytic activity of CD8+ T cells by reduction of endogenous PD-L1. Notably, Bortezomib enhances anti-tumor immunity to an extent comparable to anti-PD-1 therapies with no obvious toxicity. Our findings reveal the potential of inhibiting TRAF6 to stimulate internal anti-tumor immunological effect for TRAF6-PD-L1 overexpressing cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linglu Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuhang Han
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hsiang-I Tsai
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zilin Dan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peiru Yang
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Zhanxue Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fan Shu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chao He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - John E Eriksson
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Haitao Zhu
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Hongbo Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Fang Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
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5
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Ma Y, Wang T, Zhang X, Wang P, Long F. The role of circular RNAs in regulating resistance to cancer immunotherapy: mechanisms and implications. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:312. [PMID: 38697964 PMCID: PMC11066075 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06698-3] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has rapidly transformed cancer treatment, yet resistance remains a significant hurdle, limiting its efficacy in many patients. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of non-coding RNAs, have emerged as pivotal regulators of gene expression and cellular processes. Increasing evidence indicates their involvement in modulating resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Notably, certain circRNAs function as miRNA sponges or interact with proteins, influencing the expression of immune-related genes, including crucial immune checkpoint molecules. This, in turn, shapes the tumor microenvironment and significantly impacts the response to immunotherapy. In this comprehensive review, we explore the evolving role of circRNAs in orchestrating resistance to cancer immunotherapy, with a specific focus on their mechanisms in influencing immune checkpoint gene expression. Additionally, we underscore the potential of circRNAs as promising therapeutic targets to augment the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. Understanding the role of circRNAs in cancer immunotherapy resistance could contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ma
- Department of Clinical Research, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Clinical Research, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xudong Zhang
- Department of Clinical Research, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Pinghan Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated Women's and Children's Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610032, China
| | - Fangyi Long
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated Women's and Children's Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610032, China.
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6
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Tada T, Norton TD, Leibowitz R, Landau NR. Checkpoint inhibitor-expressing lentiviral vaccine suppresses tumor growth in preclinical cancer models. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008761. [PMID: 38658032 PMCID: PMC11043704 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While immunotherapy has been highly successful for the treatment of some cancers, for others, the immune response to tumor antigens is weak leading to treatment failure. The resistance of tumors to checkpoint inhibitor therapy may be caused by T cell exhaustion resulting from checkpoint activation. METHODS In this study, lentiviral vectors that expressed T cell epitopes of an experimentally introduced tumor antigen, ovalbumin, or the endogenous tumor antigen, Trp1 were developed. The vectors coexpressed CD40 ligand (CD40L), which served to mature the dendritic cells (DCs), and a soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) microbody to prevent checkpoint activation. Vaccination of mice bearing B16.OVA melanomas with vector-transduced DCs induced the proliferation and activation of functional, antigen-specific, cytolytic CD8 T cells. RESULTS Vaccination induced the expansion of CD8 T cells that infiltrated the tumors to suppress tumor growth. Vector-encoded CD40L and PD-1 microbody increased the extent of tumor growth suppression. Adoptive transfer demonstrated that the effect was mediated by CD8 T cells. Direct injection of the vector, without the need for ex vivo transduction of DCs, was also effective. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that therapeutic vaccination that induces tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cells coupled with a vector-expressed checkpoint inhibitor can be an effective means to suppress the growth of tumors that are resistant to conventional immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Tada
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Thomas D Norton
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rebecca Leibowitz
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nathaniel R Landau
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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7
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Lin C, Chu Y, Zheng Y, Gu S, Hu Y, He J, Shen Z. Macrophages: plastic participants in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1337129. [PMID: 38650924 PMCID: PMC11033442 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1337129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) rank among the most prevalent types of head and neck cancer globally. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients receive their diagnoses at advanced stages, limiting the effectiveness of available treatments. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a pivotal player in HNSCC development, with macrophages holding a central role. Macrophages demonstrate diverse functions within the TME, both inhibiting and facilitating cancer progression. M1 macrophages are characterized by their phagocytic and immune activities, while M2 macrophages tend to promote inflammation and immunosuppression. Striking a balance between these different polarization states is essential for maintaining overall health, yet in the context of tumors, M2 macrophages typically prevail. Recent efforts have been directed at controlling the polarization states of macrophages, paving the way for novel approaches to cancer treatment. Various drugs and immunotherapies, including innovative treatments based on macrophages like engineering macrophages and CAR-M cell therapy, have been developed. This article provides an overview of the roles played by macrophages in HNSCC, explores potential therapeutic targets and strategies, and presents fresh perspectives on the future of HNSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lin
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yidian Chu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ye Zheng
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shanshan Gu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yanghao Hu
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jiali He
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhisen Shen
- The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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8
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Koh DI, Lee M, Park YS, Shin JS, Kim J, Ryu YS, Lee JH, Bae S, Lee MS, Hong JK, Jeong HR, Choi M, Hong SW, Kim DK, Lee HK, Kim B, Yoon YS, Jin DH. The Immune Suppressor IGSF1 as a Potential Target for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Res 2024; 12:491-507. [PMID: 38289363 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-23-0817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The development of first-generation immune-checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 ushered in a new era in anticancer therapy. Although immune-checkpoint blockade therapies have shown clinical success, a substantial number of patients yet fail to benefit. Many studies are under way to discover next-generation immunotherapeutic targets. Immunoglobulin superfamily member 1 (IGSF1) is a membrane glycoprotein proposed to regulate thyroid function. Despite containing 12 immunoglobin domains, a possible role for IGSF1, in immune response, remains unknown. Here, our studies revealed that IGSF1 is predominantly expressed in tumors but not normal tissues, and increased expression is observed in PD-L1low non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells as compared with PD-L1high cells. Subsequently, we developed and characterized an IGSF1-specific human monoclonal antibody, WM-A1, that effectively promoted antitumor immunity and overcame the limitations of first-generation immune-checkpoint inhibitors, likely via a distinct mechanism of action. We further demonstrated high WM-A1 efficacy in humanized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and syngeneic mouse models, finding additive efficacy in combination with an anti-PD-1 (a well-characterized checkpoint inhibitor). These findings support IGSF1 as an immune target that might complement existing cancer immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-In Koh
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minki Lee
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Sun Park
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology (AMIST), Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Sik Shin
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joseph Kim
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology (AMIST), Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yea Seong Ryu
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Mi So Lee
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Ki Hong
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Mingee Choi
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Dong Kwan Kim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Kyung Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Bomi Kim
- Department of Pathology, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Sang Yoon
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hoon Jin
- Wellmarkerbio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Science, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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9
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Gao X, Cao K, Yang J, Liu L, Gao L. Recent advances in nanotechnology for programmed death ligand 1-targeted cancer theranostics. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:3191-3208. [PMID: 38497358 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02787b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy has provided a unique and potent weapon against cancer in clinical practice. The likelihood of achieving beneficial effects from PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is clinically assessed by detecting PD-L1 expression through invasive tissue biopsies. However, PD-L1 expression is susceptible to tumor heterogeneity and dynamic response to ICB therapy. Moreover, currently, anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy still faces challenges of the low targeting efficiency of antibody drugs and the risk of immune-associated adverse events. To overcome these issues, advanced nanotechnology has been developed for the purpose of quantitative, non-invasive, and dynamic analyses of PD-L1, and to enhance the efficiency of ICB therapy. In this review, we first introduce the nanoprobe-assisted in vitro/in vivo modalities for the selective and sensitive analysis of PD-L1 during the diagnostic and therapeutic process. On the other hand, the feasibility of fabricating diverse functional nanocarriers as smart delivery systems for precisely targeted delivery of PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors and combined therapies is highlighted. Finally, the current challenges are discussed and future perspectives for PD-L1-targeted cancer theranostics in preclinical research and clinical settings are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.
| | - Kai Cao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.
| | - Jingru Yang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.
| | - Linhong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.
| | - Liang Gao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.
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10
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Li T, Zhang W, Niu M, Wu Y, Deng X, Zhou J. STING agonist inflames the cervical cancer immune microenvironment and overcomes anti-PD-1 therapy resistance. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1342647. [PMID: 38550593 PMCID: PMC10972971 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1342647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer poses a significant global threat to women's health. However, current therapeutic interventions, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical resection, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, face limitations in the advanced stages of the disease. Given the immunosuppressive microenvironment in cervical cancer, it is imperative to explore novel perspectives. In this regard, STING agonists have emerged as promising candidates. Methods The expression profiles and clinicopathological data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Prognostic analysis of STING downstream genes (CCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10) and immune infiltration analysis were conducted using Kaplan-Meier Plotter, ESTIMATE, and deconvo_CIBERSOR. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential of MSA-2 in cervical cancer treatment employing SingleR, chi-squared test, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Cellular interaction analysis utilized the CellChat package to assess the potentiation of cellular interaction following MSA-2 administration. Murine tumor models involving U14 and TC-1, were conducted, and the IF of tissue was subsequently conducted to assess the tumor microenvironment status after treatment. Results Prognosis in cervical cancer correlated with elevated expression of STING downstream genes, indicating prolonged survival and reduced recurrence. These genes positively correlated with immune infiltration, influencing stromal scores, immune scores, and estimate scores. Specific immune cell populations, including CD8+ T cells, M1-type macrophages, NK cells, and T follicular helper cells, were associated with STING downstream genes. scRNA-seq in a classic immune-excluded model revealed that MSA-2 exerts priming and activating functions on vital components within TME, and intensifies their intercellular communications. The in vivo assay ultimately demonstrated that MSA-2, either as a standalone treatment or in combination with anti-PD-1, effectively suppressed the growth of subcutaneous cervical tumors. Moreover, the combination strategy significantly augmented efficacy compared to anti-PD-1 monotherapy by eliciting a robust antitumor immune response. Conclusion This study highlights the pivotal role of the STING pathway and the potential of MSA-2 in reshaping the immune microenvironment in cervical cancer. Combining MSA-2 with immune checkpoint inhibitors presents a transformative approach, holding promise for improved prognosis. Further investigations are warranted to explore the broader immune landscape and potential long-term effects of MSA-2 in cervical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weijiang Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuze Wu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinyue Deng
- Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hangzhou, China
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11
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Zhao Z, Zhang S, Jiang N, Zhu W, Song D, Liu S, Yu W, Bai Y, Zhang Y, Wang X, Zhong X, Guo H, Guo Z, Yang R, Li JP. Patient-derived Immunocompetent Tumor Organoids: A Platform for Chemotherapy Evaluation in the Context of T-cell Recognition. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317613. [PMID: 38195970 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Most of the anticancer compounds synthesized by chemists are primarily evaluated for their direct cytotoxic effects at the cellular level, often overlooking the critical role of the immune system. In this study, we developed a patient-derived, T-cell-retaining tumor organoid model that allows us to evaluate the anticancer efficacy of chemical drugs under the synergistic paradigm of antigen-specific T-cell-dependent killing, which may reveal the missed drug hits in the simple cytotoxic assay. We evaluated clinically approved platinum (Pt) drugs and a custom library of twenty-eight PtIV compounds. We observed low direct cytotoxicity of Pt drugs, but variable synergistic effects in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). In contrast, the majority of PtIV compounds exhibited potent tumor-killing capabilities. Interestingly, several PtIV compounds went beyond direct tumor killing and showed significant immunosynergistic effects with ICIs, outstanding at sub-micromolar concentrations. Among these, Pt-19, PtIV compounds with cinnamate axial ligands, emerged as the most therapeutically potent, demonstrating pronounced immunosynergistic effects by promoting the release of cytotoxic cytokines, activating immune-related pathways and enhancing T cell receptor (TCR) clonal expansion. Overall, this initiative marks the first use of patient-derived immunocompetent tumor organoids to explore and study chemotherapy, advancing their path toward more effective small molecule drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Zhao
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Shuren Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Wenjie Zhu
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Dongfan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Siyang Liu
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Wenhao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Yuhao Bai
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Yulin Zhang
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Xuanmeng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Hongqian Guo
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Zijian Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Rd, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Jie P Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
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12
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Cui JW, Li Y, Yang Y, Yang HK, Dong JM, Xiao ZH, He X, Guo JH, Wang RQ, Dai B, Zhou ZL. Tumor immunotherapy resistance: Revealing the mechanism of PD-1 / PD-L1-mediated tumor immune escape. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116203. [PMID: 38280330 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116203] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy, an innovative anti-cancer therapy, has showcased encouraging outcomes across diverse tumor types. Among these, the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway is a well-known immunological checkpoint, which is significant in the regulation of immune evasion by tumors. Nevertheless, a considerable number of patients develop resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, rendering it ineffective in the long run. This research focuses on exploring the factors of PD-1/PD-L1-mediated resistance in tumor immunotherapy. Initially, the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is characterized by its role in facilitating tumor immune evasion, emphasizing its role in autoimmune homeostasis. Next, the primary mechanisms of resistance to PD-1/PD-L1-based immunotherapy are analyzed, including tumor antigen deletion, T cell dysfunction, increased immunosuppressive cells, and alterations in the expression of PD-L1 within tumor cells. The possible ramifications of altered metabolism, microbiota, and DNA methylation on resistance is also described. Finally, possible resolution strategies for dealing with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy resistance are discussed, placing particular emphasis on personalized therapeutic approaches and the exploration of more potent immunotherapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Wen Cui
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China; College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao Li
- College of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China; College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR, China
| | - Hai-Kui Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Jia-Mei Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Xiao
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China; College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin He
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Jia-Hao Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China; College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui-Qi Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China.
| | - Bo Dai
- Department of Cardiology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan City 528200, Guangdong Province, China.
| | - Zhi-Ling Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, China.
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13
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Zhao X, Liu C, Peng L, Wang H. Metformin facilitates anti-PD-L1 efficacy through the regulation of intestinal microbiota. Genes Immun 2024; 25:7-13. [PMID: 38092885 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-023-00234-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Metformin is a synthetic biguanide proven to have beneficial effects against various human diseases. Research has confirmed that metformin exerts its effects by regulating the composition of intestinal microbiota. The composition of intestinal microbiota influences the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. We assume that the regulation of metformin on intestinal microbiota could enhance the therapeutic efficiency of anti-PD-L1 antibodies. In Lewis lung cancer-bearing C57BL/6J mice, we find that metformin enhances PD-L1 antibody efficacy mainly depending on the existence of gut microbiota, and metformin increases the anti-tumor immunity through modulation of intestinal microbiota and affects the integrity of the intestinal mucosa. Antibiotic depletion of gut microbiota abolished the combination efficacy of PD-L1 antibody and metformin, implying the significance of intestinal microbiota in metformin's antitumor action. Combining anti-PD-L1 antibody with metformin provoked tumor necrosis by causing increased CD8 T-cell infiltration and IFN-γ expression. In conclusion, metformin could be employed as a microecological controller to prompt antitumor immunity and increase the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 antibodies. Our study provided reliable evidence that metformin could be synergistically used with anti-PD-L1 antibody to enhance the anti-cancer effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang City, 050011, China
| | - Chuang Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Fourth Central Hospital of Baoding City, Baoding, China
| | - Licheng Peng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang City, 050011, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang City, 050011, China.
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14
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Adugna A, Muche Y, Jemal M, Habtegiorgis SD, Belew H, Azanaw Amare G. Gut microbes as medical signature for the effectiveness of immunotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Aging Med (Milton) 2024; 7:121-130. [PMID: 38571678 PMCID: PMC10985778 DOI: 10.1002/agm2.12292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide and poses a severe threat to public health. Immunotherapy with checkpoint blockers has improved the outlook for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy. For the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC, antibodies such as anti-programmed death 1 (anti-PD1), anti-programmed death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1), and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4) are of paramount importance. Anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody therapies are used to block the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and identify cancerous cells to the body's defenses. Antibodies directed against CTLA-4 (anti-CTLA-4) have also been shown to improve survival rates in patients with NSCLC. Currently, other immunotherapy approaches like neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (NAICIs) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies are applied in NSCLC patients. NAICIs are used for resectable and early stage NSCLC and CAR-T is used to find more useful epitope sites for lung tumors and destroy cancer cells. A patient's gut microbiota might influence how their immune system reacts to NSCLC immunotherapy. The majority of intestinal microbes stimulate helper/cytotoxic T cells, induce natural killer (NK) cells, activate various toll-like receptors (TLR), build up cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8), increase PD-1 production, and attract chemokine receptors towards cancer cells. Thus, they serve as immune inducers in NSCLC immunotherapy. Nonetheless, certain bacteria can function as immune suppressors by inhibiting DC proliferation, stopping CD28 trafficking, restoring CD80/CD86, increasing immunological tolerance, and upsetting Th17 cells. Therefore, they are prevalent in non-responders with NSCLC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adane Adugna
- Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health SciencesDebre Markos UniversityDebre MarkosEthiopia
| | - Yalew Muche
- Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health SciencesDebre Markos UniversityDebre MarkosEthiopia
| | - Mohammed Jemal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, College of Health SciencesDebre Markos UniversityDebre MarkosEthiopia
| | | | - Habtamu Belew
- Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health SciencesDebre Markos UniversityDebre MarkosEthiopia
| | - Gashaw Azanaw Amare
- Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health SciencesDebre Markos UniversityDebre MarkosEthiopia
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15
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Mfuh AM, Boerth JA, Bommakanti G, Chan C, Chinn AJ, Code E, Fricke PJ, Giblin KA, Gohlke A, Hansel C, Hariparsad N, Hughes SJ, Jin M, Kantae V, Kavanagh SL, Lamb ML, Lane J, Moore R, Puri T, Quinn TR, Reddy I, Robb GR, Robbins KJ, Gancedo Rodrigo M, Schimpl M, Singh B, Singh M, Tang H, Thomson C, Walsh JJ, Ware J, Watson IDG, Ye MW, Wrigley GL, Zhang AX, Zhang Y, Grimster NP. Discovery, Optimization, and Biological Evaluation of Arylpyridones as Cbl-b Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1500-1512. [PMID: 38227216 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Casitas B-lymphoma proto-oncogene-b (Cbl-b), a member of the Cbl family of RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligases, has been demonstrated to play a central role in regulating effector T-cell function. Multiple studies using gene-targeting approaches have provided direct evidence that Cbl-b negatively regulates T, B, and NK cell activation via a ubiquitin-mediated protein modulation. Thus, inhibition of Cbl-b ligase activity can lead to immune activation and has therapeutic potential in immuno-oncology. Herein, we describe the discovery and optimization of an arylpyridone series as Cbl-b inhibitors by structure-based drug discovery to afford compound 31. This compound binds to Cbl-b with an IC50 value of 30 nM and induces IL-2 production in T-cells with an EC50 value of 230 nM. Compound 31 also shows robust intracellular target engagement demonstrated through inhibition of Cbl-b autoubiquitination, inhibition of ubiquitin transfer to ZAP70, and the cellular modulation of phosphorylation of a downstream signal within the TCR axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelphe M Mfuh
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Jeffrey A Boerth
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Gayathri Bommakanti
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | | | - Alex J Chinn
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Erin Code
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Patrick J Fricke
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | | | - Andrea Gohlke
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | | | - Niresh Hariparsad
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | | | - Meizhong Jin
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Vasudev Kantae
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | | | - Michelle L Lamb
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Jordan Lane
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | - Rachel Moore
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | - Taranee Puri
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Taylor R Quinn
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Iswarya Reddy
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | | | - Kevin J Robbins
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Miguel Gancedo Rodrigo
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
- Isomorphic Laboratories, 280 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4RB, U.K
| | | | - Baljinder Singh
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Meha Singh
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Haoran Tang
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | | | - Jarrod J Walsh
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | - Jamie Ware
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, U.K
| | - Iain D G Watson
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Min-Wei Ye
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | | | - Andrew X Zhang
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Yun Zhang
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Neil P Grimster
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
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16
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Paloja K, Weiden J, Hellmeier J, Eklund AS, Reinhardt SCM, Parish IA, Jungmann R, Bastings MMC. Balancing the Nanoscale Organization in Multivalent Materials for Functional Inhibition of the Programmed Death-1 Immune Checkpoint. ACS NANO 2024; 18:1381-1395. [PMID: 38126310 PMCID: PMC10795474 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) regulate immune priming by expressing programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and PD-L2, which interact with the inhibitory receptor PD-1 on activated T cells. PD-1 signaling regulates T cell effector functions and limits autoimmunity. Tumor cells can hijack this pathway by overexpressing PD-L1 to suppress antitumor T cell responses. Blocking this inhibitory pathway has been beneficial for the treatment of various cancer types, although only a subset of patients responds. A deepened understanding of the spatial organization and molecular interplay between PD-1 and its ligands may inform the design of more efficacious nanotherapeutics. We visualized the natural molecular PD-L1 organization on DCs by DNA-PAINT microscopy and created a template to engineer DNA-based nanoclusters presenting PD-1 at defined valencies, distances, and patterns. These multivalent nanomaterials were examined for their cellular binding and blocking ability. Our data show that PD-1 nano-organization has profound effects on ligand interaction and that the valency of PD-1 molecules modulates the effectiveness in restoring T cell function. This work highlights the power of spatially controlled functional materials to unravel the importance of multivalent patterns in the PD-1 pathway and presents alternative design strategies for immune-engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaltrina Paloja
- Programmable
Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Jorieke Weiden
- Programmable
Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Susanne C. M. Reinhardt
- Max
Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Planegg 82152, Germany
- Faculty
of Physics and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig
Maximilian University, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Ian A. Parish
- Peter
MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
- Sir
Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3128, Australia
| | - Ralf Jungmann
- Max
Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Planegg 82152, Germany
- Faculty
of Physics and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig
Maximilian University, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Maartje M. C. Bastings
- Programmable
Biomaterials Laboratory, Institute of Materials, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
- Interfaculty
Bioengineering Institute, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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17
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Chamani FK, Etebari A, Hajivalili M, Mosaffa N, Jalali SA. Hypoxia and programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression in the tumor microenvironment: a review of the effects of hypoxia-induced factor-1 on immunotherapy. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:88. [PMID: 38183512 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08947-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
One useful cancer treatment approach is activating the patient's immune response against the tumor. In this regard, immunotherapy (IT) based on immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) has made great progress in the last two decades. Although ITs are considered a novel approach to cancer treatment and have had good results in preclinical studies, their clinical success has shown that only a small proportion of treated patients (about 20%) benefited from them. Moreover, in highly progressed tumors, almost no acceptable response could be expected. In this regard finding the key molecules that are the main players of tumor immunosuppression might be helpful in overcoming the possible burdens. Hypoxia is one of the main components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which can create an immunosuppressive microenvironment in various ways. For example, hypoxia is one of the main factors of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) upregulation in tumor-infiltrating Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs). Therefore, hypoxia can be targeted to increase the efficiency of Anti-PD-L1 IT and has become one of the important issues in cancer treatment strategy. In this review, we described the effect of hypoxia in the TME, on tumor progression and immune responses and the challenges created by it for IT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fateme Khani Chamani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atefe Etebari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Nariman Mosaffa
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Amir Jalali
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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18
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Zdrenka M, Kowalewski A, Ahmadi N, Sadiqi RU, Chmura Ł, Borowczak J, Maniewski M, Szylberg Ł. Refining PD-1/PD-L1 assessment for biomarker-guided immunotherapy: A review. BIOMOLECULES & BIOMEDICINE 2024; 24:14-29. [PMID: 37877810 PMCID: PMC10787614 DOI: 10.17305/bb.2023.9265] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) immunotherapy is an increasingly crucial in cancer treatment. To date, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining protocols, commercially available in the form of "kits", facilitating testing for PD-L1 expression. These kits comprise four PD-L1 antibodies on two separate IHC platforms, each utilizing distinct, non-interchangeable scoring systems. Several factors, including tumor heterogeneity and the size of the tissue specimens assessed, can lead to PD-L1 status misclassification, potentially hindering the initiation of therapy. Therefore, the development of more accurate predictive biomarkers to distinguish between responders and non-responders prior to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy warrants further research. Achieving this goal necessitates refining sampling criteria, enhancing current methods of PD-L1 detection, and deepening our understanding of the impact of additional biomarkers. In this article, we review potential solutions to improve the predictive accuracy of PD-L1 assessment in order to more precisely anticipate patients' responses to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, monitor disease progression and predict clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Zdrenka
- Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Centre-Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Adam Kowalewski
- Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Centre-Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Navid Ahmadi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Łukasz Chmura
- Department of Pathomorphology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jędrzej Borowczak
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncology, Chair of Pathomorphology and Clinical Placentology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Mateusz Maniewski
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncology, Chair of Pathomorphology and Clinical Placentology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Łukasz Szylberg
- Department of Tumor Pathology and Pathomorphology, Oncology Centre-Prof. Franciszek Łukaszczyk Memorial Hospital, Bydgoszcz, Poland
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncology, Chair of Pathomorphology and Clinical Placentology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland
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19
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Larsen TV, Maansson CT, Daugaard TF, Andresen BS, Sorensen BS, Nielsen AL. Trans-Regulation of Alternative PD-L1 mRNA Processing by CDK12 in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2844. [PMID: 38132164 PMCID: PMC10741404 DOI: 10.3390/cells12242844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors targeting the interaction between PD-1 on T cells and PD-L1 on cancer cells has shown significant results in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Not all patients respond to the therapy, and PD-L1 expression heterogeneity is proposed to be one determinant for this. The alternative processing of PD-L1 RNA, which depends on an alternative poly-A site in intron 4, generates a shorter mRNA variant (PD-L1v4) encoding soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1), relative to the canonical PD-L1v1 mRNA encoding membrane-associated PD-L1 (mPD-L1). This study aimed to identify factors influencing the ratio between these two PD-L1 mRNAs in NSCLC cells. First, we verified the existence of the alternative PD-L1 RNA processing in NSCLC cells, and from in silico analyses, we identified a candidate list of regulatory factors. Examining selected candidates showed that CRISPR/Cas9-generated loss-of-function mutations in CDK12 increased the PD-L1v4/PD-L1v1 mRNA ratio and, accordingly, the sPD-L1/mPD-L1 balance. The CDK12/13 inhibitor THZ531 could also increase the PD-L1v4/PD-L1v1 mRNA ratio and impact the PD-L1 transcriptional response to IFN-γ stimulation. The fact that CDK12 regulates PD-L1 transcript variant formation in NSCLC cells is consistent with CDK12's role in promoting transcriptional elongation over intron-located poly-A sites. This study lays the groundwork for clinical investigations to delineate the implications of the CDK12-mediated balancing of sPD-L1 relative to mPD-L1 for immunotherapeutic responses in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine V. Larsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; (T.V.L.); (C.T.M.); (T.F.D.)
| | - Christoffer T. Maansson
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; (T.V.L.); (C.T.M.); (T.F.D.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark;
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tina F. Daugaard
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; (T.V.L.); (C.T.M.); (T.F.D.)
| | - Brage S. Andresen
- Department of Biology and Molecular Biology, Southern University of Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
| | - Boe S. Sorensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark;
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders L. Nielsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; (T.V.L.); (C.T.M.); (T.F.D.)
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20
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Parvez A, Choudhary F, Mudgal P, Khan R, Qureshi KA, Farooqi H, Aspatwar A. PD-1 and PD-L1: architects of immune symphony and immunotherapy breakthroughs in cancer treatment. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1296341. [PMID: 38106415 PMCID: PMC10722272 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1296341] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
PD-1 (Programmed Cell Death Protein-1) and PD-L1 (Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1) play a crucial role in regulating the immune system and preventing autoimmunity. Cancer cells can manipulate this system, allowing them to escape immune detection and promote tumor growth. Therapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway have transformed cancer treatment and have demonstrated significant effectiveness against various cancer types. This study delves into the structure and signaling dynamics of PD-1 and its ligands PD-L1/PD-L2, the diverse PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and their efficacy, and the resistance observed in some patients. Furthermore, this study explored the challenges associated with the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor treatment approach. Recent advancements in the combination of immunotherapy with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical procedures to enhance patient outcomes have also been highlighted. Overall, this study offers an in-depth overview of the significance of PD-1/PD-L1 in cancer immunotherapy and its future implications in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil Parvez
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia, Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Furqan Choudhary
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia, Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Priyal Mudgal
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia, Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Rahila Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia, Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Kamal A. Qureshi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Unaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
| | - Humaira Farooqi
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia, Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashok Aspatwar
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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21
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Kwantwi LB. Genetic alterations shape innate immune cells to foster immunosuppression and cancer immunotherapy resistance. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:4289-4296. [PMID: 37910258 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01240-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, has opened a new avenue for cancer treatment following the durable clinical benefits. Despite the clinical successes across several cancer types, primary or acquired resistance might eventually lead to cancer progression in patients with clinical responses. Hence, to broaden the clinical applicability of these treatments, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms limiting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy is needed. Evidence provided thus far has implicated immunosuppressive innate immune cells infiltrating the tumor microenvironment as key players in immunotherapy resistance. According to the available data, genetic alterations can shape the innate immune response to promote immunotherapy resistance and tumor progression. Herein, this review has discussed the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms where genetic alterations modulate the innate immune milieu to drive immunosuppression and immunotherapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Boafo Kwantwi
- Department of Pathology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA.
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22
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Tian T, Xie X, Yi W, Zhou Y, Xu Y, Wang Z, Zhang J, Lin M, Zhang R, Lv Z, Li X, Lv L, Xu Y. FBXO38 mediates FGL1 ubiquitination and degradation to enhance cancer immunity and suppress inflammation. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113362. [PMID: 37938970 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Upregulation of FGL1 helps tumors escape from immune surveillance, and therapeutic antibodies targeting FGL1 have potential as another immune checkpoint inhibitor. However, the underlying mechanism of high FGL1 protein level in cancers is not well defined. Here, we report that FBXO38 interacts with and ubiquitylates FGL1 to negatively regulate its stability and to mediate cancer immune response. Depletion of FBXO38 markedly augments FGL1 abundance, not only suppressing CD8+ T cell infiltration and enhancing immune evasion of tumor but also increasing inflammation in mice. Importantly, we observe a negative correlation of FBXO38 with FGL1 and IL-6 in non-small cell lung cancer specimens. FGL1 and IL-6 levels positively correlate with TNM (tumor, lymph node, metastasis) stages, while FBXO38 and the infiltrating CD8+ T cells negatively correlate with TNM stages. Our study identifies a mechanism regulating FGL1 stability and a target to enhance the immunotherapy and suggests that the combination of anti-FGL1 and anti-IL-6 is a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongguan Tian
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Xiao Xie
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wanwan Yi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yuefan Zhou
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Yixin Xu
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Zhenxiang Wang
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Junjing Zhang
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Mingen Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ruonan Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhongwei Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Xinxing Li
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Lei Lv
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Yanping Xu
- Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China.
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23
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Skórzewska M, Gęca K, Polkowski WP. A Clinical Viewpoint on the Use of Targeted Therapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5490. [PMID: 38001751 PMCID: PMC10670421 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225490] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of therapies for advanced gastric cancer (GC) has made significant progress over the past few years. The identification of new molecules and molecular targets is expanding our understanding of the disease's intricate nature. The end of the classical oncology era, which relied on well-studied chemotherapeutic agents, is giving rise to novel and unexplored challenges, which will cause a significant transformation of the current oncological knowledge in the next few years. The integration of established clinically effective regimens in additional studies will be crucial in managing these innovative aspects of GC. This study aims to present an in-depth and comprehensive review of the clinical advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for advanced GC.
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24
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Zhang Y, Tao Y, Gu Y, Ma Q. Butyrate facilitates immune clearance of colorectal cancer cells by suppressing STAT1-mediated PD-L1 expression. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2023; 78:100303. [PMID: 37931529 PMCID: PMC10654141 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinsp.2023.100303] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Immunotherapy has been proven to improve the prognosis of patients with advanced malignancy but has shown limited efficacy in patients with Colorectal Cancer (CRC). Increasing evidence suggests that butyrate, a bacterial metabolite, enhances the efficacy of cancer therapies by modulating immune responses. Here, the effect and the mechanism of butyrate on anti-PD-L1 therapy were investigated in CRC. METHODS The expression of PD-L1 and STAT1, and the lysine acetylation of STAT1 in CRC cells were observed after treatment with butyrate (2, 5, and 10 mM) for 24h or butyrate (5 mM) for 8, 16, and 24h. Site-directed mutations of STAT1 (K410R or K413R) were introduced to determine the role of STAT1 acetylation in modulating PD-L1 expression. The effect of butyrate on the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T-cells against CRC cells with or without PD-L1 overexpression was explored in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Butyrate could suppress IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 up-regulation in CRC cells in a dose- and time-dependent way. Butyrate promoted the lysine acetylation of STAT1 to reduce STAT1 expression. Non-acetylated mutant STAT1 not only ameliorated butyrate-induced suppression of lysine acetylation and nuclear translocation of STAT1 but also blocked the effect of butyrate on PD-L1. Butyrate attenuated the IFN-γ-induced impairment of CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity against CRC cells. Meanwhile, butyrate suppressed CRC tumor growth by enhancing CD8+ T-cell infiltration. However, directly overexpressing PD-L1 in CRC cells could abolish the effect of butyrate. CONCLUSION Butyrate strengthens the immune response to CRC cells by suppressing PD-L1 expression via acetylation of STAT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Changping Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Tao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Changping Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Gu
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Changping Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiujie Ma
- Department of Pathology, Guang'anmen Hospital South Campus, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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25
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Ajith A, Mamouni K, Horuzsko DD, Musa A, Dzutsev AK, Fang JR, Chadli A, Zhu X, Lebedyeva I, Trinchieri G, Horuzsko A. Targeting TREM1 augments antitumor T cell immunity by inhibiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells and restraining anti-PD-1 resistance. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e167951. [PMID: 37651197 PMCID: PMC10617775 DOI: 10.1172/jci167951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell 1 (TREM1) plays a critical role in development of chronic inflammatory disorders and the inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) associated with most solid tumors. We examined whether loss of TREM1 signaling can abrogate the immunosuppressive TME and enhance cancer immunity. To investigate the therapeutic potential of TREM1 in cancer, we used mice deficient in Trem1 and developed a novel small molecule TREM1 inhibitor, VJDT. We demonstrated that genetic or pharmacological TREM1 silencing significantly delayed tumor growth in murine melanoma (B16F10) and fibrosarcoma (MCA205) models. Single-cell RNA-Seq combined with functional assays during TREM1 deficiency revealed decreased immunosuppressive capacity of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accompanied by expansion in cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and increased PD-1 expression. Furthermore, TREM1 inhibition enhanced the antitumorigenic effect of anti-PD-1 treatment, in part, by limiting MDSC frequency and abrogating T cell exhaustion. In patient-derived melanoma xenograft tumors, treatment with VJDT downregulated key oncogenic signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, migration, and survival. Our work highlights the role of TREM1 in cancer progression, both intrinsically expressed in cancer cells and extrinsically in the TME. Thus, targeting TREM1 to modify an immunosuppressive TME and improve efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy represents what we believe to be a promising therapeutic approach to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin Ajith
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kenza Mamouni
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Daniel D. Horuzsko
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Abu Musa
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amiran K. Dzutsev
- Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Fang
- Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ahmed Chadli
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Xingguo Zhu
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Iryna Lebedyeva
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Giorgio Trinchieri
- Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anatolij Horuzsko
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
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26
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Confino H, Sela Y, Epshtein Y, Malka L, Goldshtein M, Chaisson S, Lisi S, Avniel A, Monson JM, Dirbas FM. Intratumoral Administration of High-Concentration Nitric Oxide and Anti-mPD-1 Treatment Improves Tumor Regression Rates and Survival in CT26 Tumor-Bearing Mice. Cells 2023; 12:2439. [PMID: 37887283 PMCID: PMC10605471 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed clinical oncology. However, their use is limited as response is observed in only ~20-50% of patients. Previously, we demonstrated that treating CT26 tumor-bearing mice with ultra-high-concentration gaseous nitric oxide (UNO) followed by tumor resection stimulated antitumor immune responses. Accordingly, UNO may improve tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we investigated the ability of UNO to improve the efficacy of a programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) antibody in vitro and in treating CT26 tumor-bearing mice. METHODS CT26 cells were injected into the flank of Balb/c mice (n = 15-16 per group). On day 6, CT26 cells were injected into the contralateral flank, and anti-mPD-1 injections commenced. Primary tumors were treated with intratumoral UNO on day 8. Tumor volume, response rates, toxicity, and survival were monitored. RESULTS (1) Short exposure to 25,000-100,000 parts per million (ppm) UNO in vitro resulted in significant upregulation of PD-L1 expression on CT26 cells. (2) UNO treatment in vivo consistently reduced cell viability in CT26 tumors. (3) Treatment reduced regulatory T-cell (Treg) levels in the tumor and increased levels of systemic M1 macrophages. UNO responders had increased CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration. (4) Nine days after treatment, primary tumor growth was significantly lower in the combination arm vs. anti-mPD-1 alone (p = 0.0005). (5) Complete tumor regression occurred in 8/15 (53%) of mice treated with a combination of 10 min UNO and anti-mPD-1, 100 days post-treatment, compared to 4/16 (25%) of controls treated with anti-mPD-1 alone (p = 0.1489). (6) There was no toxicity associated with UNO treatment. (7) Combination treatment showed a trend toward increased survival 100 days post-treatment compared to anti-mPD-1 alone (p = 0.0653). CONCLUSION Combining high-concentration NO and immune checkpoint inhibitors warrants further assessment especially in tumors resistant to checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hila Confino
- Beyond Cancer, Rehovot 7608801, Israel; (Y.S.); (Y.E.); (L.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Yogev Sela
- Beyond Cancer, Rehovot 7608801, Israel; (Y.S.); (Y.E.); (L.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Yana Epshtein
- Beyond Cancer, Rehovot 7608801, Israel; (Y.S.); (Y.E.); (L.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Lidor Malka
- Beyond Cancer, Rehovot 7608801, Israel; (Y.S.); (Y.E.); (L.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Matan Goldshtein
- Beyond Cancer, Rehovot 7608801, Israel; (Y.S.); (Y.E.); (L.M.); (M.G.)
| | | | - Steve Lisi
- Beyond Air, Garden City, NY 11530, USA; (S.L.); (A.A.)
| | - Amir Avniel
- Beyond Air, Garden City, NY 11530, USA; (S.L.); (A.A.)
- Beyond Air Inc., Rehovot 7608801, Israel
| | - Jedidiah Mercer Monson
- Beyond Cancer, Atlanta, GA 30305, USA; (S.C.); (J.M.M.)
- California Cancer Associates for Research and Excellence, Fresno, CA 93720, USA
| | - Frederick M. Dirbas
- Department of General Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94304, USA;
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27
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Rani B, Ignatz-Hoover JJ, Rana PS, Driscoll JJ. Current and Emerging Strategies to Treat Urothelial Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4886. [PMID: 37835580 PMCID: PMC10571746 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194886] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC, bladder cancer, BC) remains a difficult-to-treat malignancy with a rising incidence worldwide. In the U.S., UCC is the sixth most incident neoplasm and ~90% of diagnoses are made in those >55 years of age; it is ~four times more commonly observed in men than women. The most important risk factor for developing BC is tobacco smoking, which accounts for ~50% of cases, followed by occupational exposure to aromatic amines and ionizing radiation. The standard of care for advanced UCC includes platinum-based chemotherapy and programmed cell death (PD-1) or programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, administered as frontline, second-line, or maintenance therapy. UCC remains generally incurable and is associated with intrinsic and acquired drug and immune resistance. UCC is lethal in the metastatic state and characterized by genomic instability, high PD-L1 expression, DNA damage-response mutations, and a high tumor mutational burden. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) achieve long-term durable responses in other cancers, their ability to achieve similar results with metastatic UCC (mUCC) is not as well-defined. Here, we discuss therapies to improve UCC management and how comprehensive tumor profiling can identify actionable biomarkers and eventually fulfill the promise of precision medicine for UCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berkha Rani
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (B.R.); (J.J.I.-H.); (P.S.R.)
| | - James J. Ignatz-Hoover
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (B.R.); (J.J.I.-H.); (P.S.R.)
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies & Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Priyanka S. Rana
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (B.R.); (J.J.I.-H.); (P.S.R.)
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies & Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - James J. Driscoll
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (B.R.); (J.J.I.-H.); (P.S.R.)
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Adult Hematologic Malignancies & Stem Cell Transplant Section, Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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28
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Zhou Q, Xiang J, Qiu N, Wang Y, Piao Y, Shao S, Tang J, Zhou Z, Shen Y. Tumor Abnormality-Oriented Nanomedicine Design. Chem Rev 2023; 123:10920-10989. [PMID: 37713432 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Anticancer nanomedicines have been proven effective in mitigating the side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. However, challenges remain in augmenting their therapeutic efficacy. Nanomedicines responsive to the pathological abnormalities in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are expected to overcome the biological limitations of conventional nanomedicines, enhance the therapeutic efficacies, and further reduce the side effects. This Review aims to quantitate the various pathological abnormalities in the TME, which may serve as unique endogenous stimuli for the design of stimuli-responsive nanomedicines, and to provide a broad and objective perspective on the current understanding of stimuli-responsive nanomedicines for cancer treatment. We dissect the typical transport process and barriers of cancer drug delivery, highlight the key design principles of stimuli-responsive nanomedicines designed to tackle the series of barriers in the typical drug delivery process, and discuss the "all-into-one" and "one-for-all" strategies for integrating the needed properties for nanomedicines. Ultimately, we provide insight into the challenges and future perspectives toward the clinical translation of stimuli-responsive nanomedicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Zhou
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiajia Xiang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Nasha Qiu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yechun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ying Piao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shiqun Shao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianbin Tang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhuxian Zhou
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Youqing Shen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Center for Bionanoengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Leaning D, Kaur G, Morgans AK, Ghouse R, Mirante O, Chowdhury S. Treatment landscape and burden of disease in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: systematic and structured literature reviews. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1240864. [PMID: 37829336 PMCID: PMC10565658 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1240864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a lethal disease that imposes a major burden on patients and healthcare systems. Three structured literature reviews (treatment guidelines, treatment landscape, and human/clinical/patient burden) and one systematic literature review (economic burden) were conducted to better understand the disease burden and unmet needs for patients with late-stage mCRPC, for whom optimal treatment options are unclear. Methods Embase®, MEDLINE®, MEDLINE® In-Process, the CENTRAL database (structured and systematic reviews), and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination database (systematic review only) were searched for English-language records from 2009 to 2021 to identify mCRPC treatment guidelines and studies related to the treatment landscape and the humanistic/economic burden of mCRPC in adult men (aged ≥18 years) of any ethnicity. Results In total, six records were included for the treatment patterns review, 14 records for humanistic burden, nine records for economic burden, three records (two studies) for efficacy, and eight records for safety. Real-world treatment patterns were broadly aligned with treatment guidelines and provided no optimal treatment sequencing beyond second line other than palliative care. Current post-docetaxel treatments in mCRPC are associated with adverse events that cause relatively high rates of treatment discontinuation or disruption. The humanistic and economic burdens associated with mCRPC are high. Conclusion The findings highlight a lack of treatment options with novel mechanisms of action and more tolerable safety profiles that satisfy a risk-to-benefit ratio aligned with patient needs and preferences for patients with late-stage mCRPC. Treatment approaches that improve survival and health-related quality of life are needed, ideally while simultaneously reducing costs and healthcare resource utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Leaning
- Department of Radiology and Oncology, James Cook University Hospital, South Tees NHS Trust, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
| | - Gagandeep Kaur
- Parexel Access Consulting, Parexel International, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Alicia K. Morgans
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ray Ghouse
- Advanced Accelerator Applications, a Novartis Company, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Osvaldo Mirante
- Advanced Accelerator Applications, a Novartis Company, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Simon Chowdhury
- Department of Urological Cancer, Guy’s, King’s, and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, and Sarah Cannon Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
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Tian Y, Jing H, Wang Q, Hu S, Wu Z, Duan Y. Dissolving microneedles-based programmed delivery system for enhanced chemo-immunotherapy of melanoma. J Control Release 2023; 360:630-646. [PMID: 37414221 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade, especially the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade, has revolutionized the treatment of melanoma. However, PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy leads to unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes. The immunotherapy of melanoma could be improved by adding doxorubicin (DOX), which triggers immunogenic cell death (ICD) effect to activate anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, microneedles, especially dissolving microneedles (dMNs), can further enhance outcomes of chemo-immunotherapy due to the physical adjuvant effect of dMNs. Herein, we developed the dMNs-based programmed delivery system that incorporated pH-sensitive and melanoma-targeting liposomes to co-deliver DOX and siPD-L1, achieving enhanced chemo-immunotherapy of melanoma (si/DOX@LRGD dMNs). The incorporated si/DOX@LRGD LPs demonstrated uniform particle size, pH-sensitive drug release, high in vitro cytotoxicity and targeting ability. Besides, si/DOX@LRGD LPs effectively downregulated the expression of PD-L1, induced tumor cell apoptosis and triggered ICD effect. The si/DOX@LRGD LPs also showed deep penetration (approximately 80 μm) in 3D tumor spheroids. Moreover, si/DOX@LRGD dMNs dissolved rapidly into the skin and had sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate skin, reaching a depth of approximately 260 μm in mice skin. In mice model of melanoma tumor, si/DOX@LRGD dMNs exhibited better anti-tumor efficacy than monotherapy by dMNs and tail intravenous injection at the same dose. This was due to the higher cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and the secreted cytotoxic cytokine IFN-γ evoked by si/DOX@LRGD dMNs, thereby eliciting strong T-cell mediated immune response and resulted in enhanced anti-tumor effects. In conclusion, these findings suggested that si/DOX@LRGD dMNs provided a promising and effective strategy for enhanced chemo-immunotherapy of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongshu Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Quan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Renji Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Suxian Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yourong Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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Sugiyarto G, Lau D, Hill SL, Arcia-Anaya D, Boulanger DSM, Parkes EE, James E, Elliott T. Reactivation of low avidity tumor-specific CD8 + T cells associates with immunotherapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-1. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007114. [PMID: 37586767 PMCID: PMC10432680 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007114] [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: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CD8+ T cells are a highly diverse population of cells with distinct phenotypic functions that can influence immunotherapy outcomes. Further insights on the roles of CD8+ specificities and TCR avidity of naturally arising tumor-specific T cells, where both high and low avidity T cells recognizing the same peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) coexist in the same tumor, are crucial for understanding T cell exhaustion and resistance to PD-1 immunotherapy. METHODS CT26 models were treated with anti-PD-1 on days 3, 6 and 9 following subcutaneous tumor implantation generating variable responses during early tumor development. Tetramer staining was performed to determine the frequency and avidity of CD8+ T cells targeting the tumor-specific epitope GSW11 and confirmed with tetramer competition assays. Functional characterization of high and low avidity GSW11-specific CD8+ T cells was conducted using flow cytometry and bulk RNA-seq. In vitro cytotoxicity assays and in vivo adoptive transfer experiments were performed to determine the cytotoxicity of high and low avidity populations. RESULTS Treatment success with anti-PD-1 was associated with the preferential expansion of low avidity (Tetlo) GSW11-specific CD8+ T cells with Vβ TCR expressing clonotypes. High avidity T cells (Tethi), if present, were only found in progressing PD-1 refractory tumors. Tetlo demonstrated precursor exhausted or progenitor T cell phenotypes marked by higher expression of Tcf-1 and T-bet, and lower expression of the exhaustion markers CD39, PD-1 and Eomes compared with Tethi, whereas Tethi cells were terminally exhausted. Transcriptomics analyses showed pathways related to TCR signaling, cytotoxicity and oxidative phosphorylation were significantly enriched in Tetlo found in both regressing and progressing tumors compared with Tethi, whereas genes related to DNA damage, apoptosis and autophagy were downregulated. In vitro studies showed that Tetlo exhibits higher cytotoxicity than Tethi. Adoptive transfer of Tetlo showed more effective tumor control than Tethi, and curative responses were achieved when Tetlo was combined with two doses of anti-PD-1. CONCLUSIONS Targeting subdominant T cell responses with lower avidity against pMHC affinity neoepitopes showed potential for improving PD-1 immunotherapy. Future interventions may consider expanding low avidity populations via vaccination or adoptive transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gessa Sugiyarto
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Doreen Lau
- Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Samuel Luke Hill
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - David Arcia-Anaya
- Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Denise S M Boulanger
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Eileen E Parkes
- Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Edward James
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Tim Elliott
- Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Centre for Immuno-Oncology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Mamun MAA, Zhang Y, Zhao JY, Shen DD, Guo T, Zheng YC, Zhao LJ, Liu HM. LSD1: an emerging face in altering the tumor microenvironment and enhancing immune checkpoint therapy. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:60. [PMID: 37525190 PMCID: PMC10391765 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00952-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of various cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) causes immunosuppressive functions and aggressive tumor growth. In combination with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), epigenetic modification-targeted drugs are emerging as attractive cancer treatments. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a protein that modifies histone and non-histone proteins and is known to influence a wide variety of physiological processes. The dysfunction of LSD1 contributes to poor prognosis, poor patient survival, drug resistance, immunosuppression, etc., making it a potential epigenetic target for cancer therapy. This review examines how LSD1 modulates different cell behavior in TME and emphasizes the potential use of LSD1 inhibitors in combination with ICB therapy for future cancer research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A A Mamun
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jin-Yuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Dan-Dan Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
- Key Laboratory of Endometrial Disease Prevention and Treatment Zhengzhou China, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Ting Guo
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yi-Chao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Hong-Min Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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Yu Q, Zhang H, Song Y, Chen C, Chen J, Shen J. Dissociated response to PD-1 inhibitors combined with radiotherapy in patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors: a single-center experience. World J Surg Oncol 2023; 21:228. [PMID: 37501167 PMCID: PMC10373239 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-023-03122-6] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anti-programmed death 1/anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) combined with radiotherapy (RT) has a synergistic effect on systemic tumor control. A dissociated response (DR), characterized by some lesions shrinking and others growing, has been recognized with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy or combination therapy. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency and clinical benefit of DR in patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors receiving PD-1 inhibitors in combination with RT. METHODS We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors receiving PD-1 inhibitor combined with RT at the Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Second People's Hospital Affiliated with Soochow University. Treatment response was assessed for each measurable lesion according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours ( RECIST) v 1.1 guidelines. Patterns of response are divided into four groups: (1) DR, (2) uniform response, (3) uniform progression, and (4) only stable lesions. The overall survival (OS) of different groups was compared using Kaplan-Meier methods and log-rank tests. RESULTS Between March 2019 and July 2022, 93 patients were included. The median follow-up was 10.5 months (95% CI 8.8-12.1). The most common tumor types were lung cancer (19.8%), colorectal adenocarcinoma (17.2%), and esophageal cancer (10.8%). DR was observed in 22 (23.7%) patients. The uniform progression and DR are two different patterns of progression. After confirming progression, the overall survival of patients with DR was significantly longer than that of patients with uniform progression (9.9 months (95%CI 5.7-14.1) vs. 4.2 months (95%CI 1.9-6.5), P = 0.028). Compared with DR patients who did not continue PD-1 inhibitor combined with RT or PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy (n = 12), DR patients who continued treatment (n = 10) had significantly longer OS (15.7 (95%CI 3.5-27.9) vs 8.2 (95%CI 5.6-10.8) months, P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS DR is not uncommon (23.7%) in patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors treated with PD-1 inhibitors combined with RT and shows a relatively favorable prognosis. Some patients with DR may benefit from continued PD-1 inhibitor therapy in combination with RT or PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy and may have longer OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Imaging, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine Affiliated Dongtai People's Hospital, Kangfu West Road 2, Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, 224000, China
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, the Third People's Hospital of Nantong, Nantong, China
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yan Song
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Radiology, Jieshou City People's Hospital, Fuyang, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
- Department of Orthopedics, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine Affiliated Dongtai People's Hospital, Kangfu West Road 2, Dongtai, 224200, China.
- Department of Orthopedics, Dongtai People's Hospital, Kangfu West Road 2, Dongtai, 224000, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Jin Chen
- Department of Imaging, Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine Affiliated Dongtai People's Hospital, Kangfu West Road 2, Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, 224000, China.
| | - Junkang Shen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
- Institute of Imaging Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
- Department of Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No 1055 Sanxiang Road, Soochow, 215000, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Davern M, Donlon NE. The future of combination immunotherapy in oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1217132. [PMID: 37520544 PMCID: PMC10375285 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1217132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Davern
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Noel E. Donlon
- Department of Surgery, Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James’s Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Upper GI Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Fernandez-Rodriguez L, Cianciaruso C, Bill R, Trefny MP, Klar R, Kirchhammer N, Buchi M, Festag J, Michel S, Kohler RH, Jones E, Maaske A, Vom Berg J, Kobold S, Kashyap AS, Jaschinski F, Dixon KO, Pittet MJ, Zippelius A. Dual TLR9 and PD-L1 targeting unleashes dendritic cells to induce durable antitumor immunity. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e006714. [PMID: 37208130 PMCID: PMC10201251 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006714] [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: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have been a breakthrough in clinical oncology, these therapies fail to produce durable responses in a significant fraction of patients. This lack of long-term efficacy may be due to a poor pre-existing network linking innate and adaptive immunity. Here, we present an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-based strategy that dually targets toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), aiming to overcome resistance to anti-PD-L1 monoclonal therapy. METHODS We designed a high-affinity immunomodulatory IM-TLR9:PD-L1-ASO antisense oligonucleotide (hereafter, IM-T9P1-ASO) targeting mouse PD-L1 messenger RNA and activating TLR9. Then, we performed in vitro and in vivo studies to validate the IM-T9P1-ASO activity, efficacy, and biological effects in tumors and draining lymph nodes. We also performed intravital imaging to study IM-T9P1-ASO pharmacokinetics in the tumor. RESULTS IM-T9P1-ASO therapy, unlike PD-L1 antibody therapy, results in durable antitumor responses in multiple mouse cancer models. Mechanistically, IM-T9P1-ASO activates a state of tumor-associated dendritic cells (DCs), referred to here as DC3s, which have potent antitumor potential but express the PD-L1 checkpoint. IM-T9P1-ASO has two roles: it triggers the expansion of DC3s by engaging with TLR9 and downregulates PD-L1, thereby unleashing the antitumor functions of DC3s. This dual action leads to tumor rejection by T cells. The antitumor efficacy of IM-T9P1-ASO depends on the antitumor cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12), produced by DC3s, and Batf3, a transcription factor required for DC development. CONCLUSIONS By simultaneously targeting TLR9 and PD-L1, IM-T9P1-ASO amplifies antitumor responses via DC activation, leading to sustained therapeutic efficacy in mice. By highlighting differences and similarities between mouse and human DCs, this study could serve to develop similar therapeutic strategies for patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chiara Cianciaruso
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
- AGORA Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ruben Bill
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
- AGORA Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marcel P Trefny
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Richard Klar
- Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co KG, Planegg Martinsried, Germany
| | - Nicole Kirchhammer
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mélanie Buchi
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julia Festag
- Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co KG, Planegg Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sven Michel
- Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co KG, Planegg Martinsried, Germany
| | - Rainer H Kohler
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elham Jones
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andre Maaske
- Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co KG, Planegg Martinsried, Germany
| | - Johannes Vom Berg
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Kobold
- Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPS-M) and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine IV, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), German Center for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Abhishek S Kashyap
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frank Jaschinski
- Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co KG, Planegg Martinsried, Germany
| | - Karen O Dixon
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mikael J Pittet
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
- AGORA Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Lausanne Branch, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Zippelius
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Larsen TV, Daugaard TF, Gad HH, Hartmann R, Nielsen AL. PD-L1 and PD-L2 immune checkpoint protein induction by type III interferon in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Immunobiology 2023; 228:152389. [PMID: 37146414 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the clinical success of PD-1/PD-1-ligand immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the appearance of primary and acquired therapy resistance is a major challenge reflecting that the mechanisms regulating the expression of the PD-1-ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2 are not fully explored. Type I and II interferons (IFNs) induce PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression. Here, we examined if PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression also can be induced by type III IFN, IFN-λ, which is peculiarly important for airway epithelial surfaces. METHODS In silico mRNA expression analysis of PD-L1 (CD274), PD-L2 (PDCD1LG2), and IFN- λ signaling signature genes in NSCLC tumors and cell lines was performed using RNA sequencing expression data from TCGA, OncoSG, and DepMap portals. IFN-λ-mediated induction of PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in NSCLC cell lines was examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. RESULTS IFNL genes encoding IFN- λ variants are expressed in the majority of NSCLC tumors and cell lines along with the IFNLR1 and IL10R2 genes encoding the IFN-λ receptor subunits. The expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 mRNA is higher in NSCLC tumors with IFNL mRNA expression compared to tumors without IFNL expression. In the NSCLC cell line HCC827, stimulation with IFN-λ induced both an increase in PD-L1 and PD-L2 mRNA expression and cell surface abundance of the corresponding proteins. In the NSCLC cell line A427, displaying a low basal expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 mRNA and corresponding proteins, stimulation with IFN-λ resulted in an induction of the former. CONCLUSION The type III IFN, IFN- λ, is capable of inducing PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression, at least in some NSCLC cells, and this regulation will need acknowledgment in the development of new diagnostic procedures, such as gene expression signature profiles, to improve PD-1/PD-1-ligand immunotherapy in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hans Henrik Gad
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Rune Hartmann
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
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Ping Y, Shan J, Liu Y, Liu F, Wang L, Liu Z, Li J, Yue D, Wang L, Chen X, Zhang Y. Taurine enhances the antitumor efficacy of PD-1 antibody by boosting CD8 + T cell function. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2023; 72:1015-1027. [PMID: 36261540 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03308-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 03/20/2023]
Abstract
The functional state of CD8+ T cells determines the therapeutic efficacy of PD-1 blockade antibodies in tumors. Amino acids are key nutrients for maintaining T cell antitumor immunity. In this study, we used samples from lung cancer patients treated with PD-1 blockade antibodies to assay the amino acids in their serum by mass spectrometry. We found that lung cancer patients with high serum taurine levels generally responded to PD-1 blockade antibody therapy, in parallel with the secretion of high levels of cytotoxic cytokines (IFN-γ and TNF-α). CD8+ T cells cultured with exogenous taurine exhibited decreased apoptosis, enhanced proliferation, and increased secretion of cytotoxic cytokines. High SLC6A6 expression in CD8+ T cells was positively associated with an effector T cell signature. SLC6A6 knockdown limited the function and proliferation of CD8+ T cells. RNA sequencing revealed that SLC6A6 knockdown altered the calcium signaling pathway, oxidative phosphorylation, and T cell receptor signaling in CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, taurine enhanced T cell proliferation and function in vitro by stimulation of PLCγ1-mediated calcium and MAPK signaling. Taurine plus immune checkpoint blockade antibody significantly attenuated tumor growth and markedly improved the function and proliferation of CD8+ T cells in a mouse tumor model. Thus, our findings indicate that taurine is an important driver for improving CD8+ T cell immune responses and could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ping
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jiqi Shan
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yaqing Liu
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Fengsen Liu
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liuya Wang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhangnan Liu
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jieyao Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Dongli Yue
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xinfeng Chen
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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Huang PS, Wang LY, Wang YW, Tsai MM, Lin TK, Liao CJ, Yeh CT, Lin KH. Evaluation and Application of Drug Resistance by Biomarkers in the Clinical Treatment of Liver Cancer. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060869. [PMID: 36980210 PMCID: PMC10047572 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most lethal cancers in the world, mainly owing to the lack of effective means for early monitoring and treatment. Accordingly, there is considerable research interest in various clinically applicable methods for addressing these unmet needs. At present, the most commonly used biomarker for the early diagnosis of liver cancer is alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), but AFP is sensitive to interference from other factors and cannot really be used as the basis for determining liver cancer. Treatment options in addition to liver surgery (resection, transplantation) include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, even more expensive targeted drug therapies have a limited impact on the clinical outcome of liver cancer. One of the big reasons is the rapid emergence of drug resistance. Therefore, in addition to finding effective biomarkers for early diagnosis, an important focus of current discussions is on how to effectively adjust and select drug strategies and guidelines for the treatment of liver cancer patients. In this review, we bring this thought process to the drug resistance problem faced by different treatment strategies, approaching it from the perspective of gene expression and molecular biology and the possibility of finding effective solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Shuan Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (P.-S.H.); (C.-J.L.)
| | - Ling-Yu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Wen Wang
- School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
| | - Ming-Ming Tsai
- Department of Nursing, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Department of General Surgery, New Taipei Municipal Tu Cheng Hospital, New Taipei 236, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Kang Lin
- Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan;
- Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital, New Taipei City 24352, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Jung Liao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (P.-S.H.); (C.-J.L.)
| | - Chau-Ting Yeh
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
| | - Kwang-Huei Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; (P.-S.H.); (C.-J.L.)
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +886-3-2118263
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Retnakumar SV, Chauvin C, Bayry J. The implication of anti-PD-1 therapy in cancer patients for the vaccination against viral and other infectious diseases. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 245:108399. [PMID: 37001736 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The phenomenon of 'T cell exhaustion', a state of T cell dysfunction observed during chronic infections and cancers, has been a major obstacle in mounting appropriate immune responses against infectious agents or tumor antigens. The exhausted T cells are characterized by poor effector functions mainly due to the overexpression of inhibitory receptors such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing 3 (TIM3), lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3), and T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) domain (TIGIT), commonly referred to as immune checkpoint (ICP) molecules. ICP blockade, especially of PD-1 that can potentially reverse T cell exhaustion and thereby re-stimulate the impaired immune system, is widely used in clinics as a promising therapeutic strategy for various cancers and is more recently being investigated in infectious diseases as well. In fact, cancer patients represent a population of immunocompromised individuals who are more susceptible to infections and associated complications, and thus the need for protective vaccinations against these diseases is of prime importance in this category. When it comes to vaccinating anti-PD-1-treated cancer patients against infectious diseases including COVID-19 and influenza, a special focus should be brought on the revived immune cells, which could be dynamically affected by the antigenic stimulation. However, since cancer patients are not generally included in clinical trials for designing vaccines against infectious diseases, the possible interaction between vaccine immune responses and ICP therapy is largely unexplored. Mechanistically, the reversal of T cell exhaustion by ICP in an otherwise immunocompromised population could be beneficial for the vaccine's efficacy, helping the immune system to mount a robust immune response. Nevertheless, patients with cancer undergoing anti-PD-1 blockade are known to experience immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). The risk of increasing the irAEs due to the overstimulation of the immune system during vaccination is a major concern. Therefore, while routine vaccination is indispensable for the protection of cancer patients, the impact of PD-1 blockade on vaccine responses against infectious agents requires careful consideration to avoid undesirable adverse effects that could impair the efficacy of anti-cancer treatment.
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Dedecker H, Teuwen LA, Vandamme T, Domen A, Prenen H. The role of Immunotherapy in esophageal and gastric cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer 2023; 22:175-182. [PMID: 37005190 DOI: 10.1016/j.clcc.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Upper gastrointestinal tract tumors historically have a poor prognosis. The decision to treat esophageal or gastric cancers by surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapy, or a combination of these treatment modalities should always be discussed multidisciplinary. The introduction of immunotherapy has drastically transformed the treatment landscape of multiple solid malignancies. Emerging data from early and late phase clinical trials suggests that the use of immunotherapies that target immune checkpoint proteins such as PD-1/PD-L1 result in superior overall survival in advanced, metastatic, or recurrent esophageal and gastric cancer, whether or not with specific molecular characteristics such as PD-L1 expression level or microsatellite instability. This review offers an overview of the most recent advances in the field of immunotherapy treatment in esophageal and gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Dedecker
- Multidisciplinary Oncological Center Antwerp (MOCA), Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), 2650, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Laure-Anne Teuwen
- Multidisciplinary Oncological Center Antwerp (MOCA), Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), 2650, Edegem, Belgium; Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Timon Vandamme
- Multidisciplinary Oncological Center Antwerp (MOCA), Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), 2650, Edegem, Belgium; Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Andreas Domen
- Multidisciplinary Oncological Center Antwerp (MOCA), Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), 2650, Edegem, Belgium; Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Hans Prenen
- Multidisciplinary Oncological Center Antwerp (MOCA), Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), 2650, Edegem, Belgium; Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized and Precision Oncology Network (IPPON), University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
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Nanotechnology for next-generation cancer immunotherapy: State of the art and future perspectives. J Control Release 2023; 356:14-25. [PMID: 36805873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade, immunotherapy aiming to activate an effective antitumor immune response has ushered in a new era of cancer treatment. However, the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy is limited by low response rates and high systemic toxicity. Nanotechnology is an encouraging platform for the development of next-generation cancer immunotherapy to effectively treat advanced cancer. Nanotechnology-enabled immunotherapy has remarkable advantages, ranging from the increased bioavailability and stability of immunotherapeutic agents to the enhanced activation of immune cells and favorable safety profiles. Nanotechnology-enabled immunotherapy can target solid tumors through reprogramming or stimulating immune cells (i.e., nanovaccines); modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment; or targeting tumor cells and altering their responses to immune cells to generate effective antitumor immunity. In this Oration, I introduce the advanced strategies currently being pursued by our laboratory and other groups to improve the therapeutic efficacy of cancer immunotherapy and discuss the potential challenges and future directions.
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Johnson ML, Cho BC, Luft A, Alatorre-Alexander J, Geater SL, Laktionov K, Kim SW, Ursol G, Hussein M, Lim FL, Yang CT, Araujo LH, Saito H, Reinmuth N, Shi X, Poole L, Peters S, Garon EB, Mok T. Durvalumab With or Without Tremelimumab in Combination With Chemotherapy as First-Line Therapy for Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: The Phase III POSEIDON Study. J Clin Oncol 2023; 41:1213-1227. [PMID: 36327426 PMCID: PMC9937097 DOI: 10.1200/jco.22.00975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 121.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The open-label, phase III POSEIDON study evaluated tremelimumab plus durvalumab and chemotherapy (T + D + CT) and durvalumab plus chemotherapy (D + CT) versus chemotherapy alone (CT) in first-line metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). METHODS Patients (n = 1,013) with EGFR/ALK wild-type mNSCLC were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to tremelimumab 75 mg plus durvalumab 1,500 mg and platinum-based chemotherapy for up to four 21-day cycles, followed by durvalumab once every 4 weeks until progression and one additional tremelimumab dose; durvalumab plus chemotherapy for up to four 21-day cycles, followed by durvalumab once every 4 weeks until progression; or chemotherapy for up to six 21-day cycles (with or without maintenance pemetrexed; all arms). Primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for D + CT versus CT. Key alpha-controlled secondary end points were PFS and OS for T + D + CT versus CT. RESULTS PFS was significantly improved with D + CT versus CT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.89; P = .0009; median, 5.5 v 4.8 months); a trend for improved OS did not reach statistical significance (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.02; P = .0758; median, 13.3 v 11.7 months; 24-month OS, 29.6% v 22.1%). PFS (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.86; P = .0003; median, 6.2 v 4.8 months) and OS (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.92; P = .0030; median, 14.0 v 11.7 months; 24-month OS, 32.9% v 22.1%) were significantly improved with T + D + CT versus CT. Treatment-related adverse events were maximum grade 3/4 in 51.8%, 44.6%, and 44.4% of patients receiving T + D + CT, D + CT, and CT, respectively; 15.5%, 14.1%, and 9.9%, respectively, discontinued treatment because of treatment-related adverse events. CONCLUSION D + CT significantly improved PFS versus CT. A limited course of tremelimumab added to durvalumab and chemotherapy significantly improved OS and PFS versus CT, without meaningful additional tolerability burden, representing a potential new option in first-line mNSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L. Johnson
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Tennessee Oncology, PLLC, Nashville, TN
| | | | - Alexander Luft
- Leningrad Regional Clinical Hospital, St Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Konstantin Laktionov
- Federal State Budgetary Institution “N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (N.N. Blokhin NMRCO), Moscow, Russia
| | - Sang-We Kim
- Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Maen Hussein
- Florida Cancer Specialists—Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Leesburg, FL
| | | | | | | | | | - Niels Reinmuth
- Asklepios Lung Clinic, member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich-Gauting, Germany
| | | | | | - Solange Peters
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Tony Mok
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Department of Clinical Oncology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy with immune-checkpoint blockade has improved the outcomes of patients with various malignancies, yet a majority do not benefit or develop resistance. To address this unmet need, efforts across the field are targeting additional coinhibitory receptors, costimulatory proteins, and intracellular mediators that could prevent or bypass anti-PD1 resistance mechanisms. The CD28 costimulatory pathway is necessary for antigen-specific T cell activation, though prior CD28 agonists did not translate successfully to clinic due to toxicity. Casitas B lymphoma-b (Cbl-b) is a downstream, master regulator of both CD28 and CTLA-4 signaling. This E3 ubiquitin ligase regulates both innate and adaptive immune cells, ultimately promoting an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in the absence of CD28 costimulation. Recent advances in pharmaceutical screening and computational biology have enabled the development of novel platforms to target this once 'undruggable' protein. These platforms include DNA encoded library screening, allosteric drug targeting, small-interfering RNA inhibition, CRISPR genome editing, and adoptive cell therapy. Both genetic knock-out models and Cbl-b inhibitors have been shown to reverse immunosuppression in the TME, stimulate cytotoxic T cell activity, and promote tumor regression, findings augmented with PD1 blockade in experimental models. In translating Cbl-b inhibitors to clinic, we propose specific gene expression profiles that may identify patient populations most likely to benefit. Overall, novel Cbl-b inhibitors provide antigen-specific immune stimulation and are a promising therapeutic tool in the field of immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Augustin
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Riyue Bao
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jason J Luke
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Luo J, Chen C, Liu Z, Wang X. The mutation in splicing factor genes correlates with unfavorable prognosis, genomic instability, anti-tumor immunosuppression and increased immunotherapy response in pan-cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1045130. [PMID: 36684432 PMCID: PMC9852835 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1045130] [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: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Splicing abnormality resulting from somatic mutations in key splicing factor genes (SFG) has been detected in various cancers. Hence, an in-depth study of splicing factor genes mutations' impact on pan-cancer is meaningful. This study investigated associations of splicing factor genes mutations with clinical features, tumor progression phenotypes, genomic integrity, anti-tumor immune responses, and immunotherapy response in 12 common cancer types from the TCGA database. Compared to SFG-wildtype cancers, SFG-mutated cancers displayed worse survival prognosis, higher tumor mutation burden and aneuploidy levels, higher expression of immunosuppressive signatures, and higher levels of tumor stemness, proliferation potential, and intratumor heterogeneity (ITH). However, splicing factor genes-mutated cancers showed higher response rates to immune checkpoint inhibitors than splicing factor genes-wildtype cancers in six cancer cohorts. Single-cell data analysis confirmed that splicing factor genes mutations were associated with increased tumor stemness, proliferation capacity, PD-L1 expression, intratumor heterogeneity, and aneuploidy levels. Our data suggest that the mutation in key splicing factor genes correlates with unfavorable clinical outcomes and disease progression, genomic instability, anti-tumor immunosuppression, and increased immunotherapy response in pan-cancer. Thus, the splicing factor genes mutation is an adverse prognostic factor and a positive marker for immunotherapy response in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangti Luo
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Canping Chen
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhixian Liu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,*Correspondence: Zhixian Liu, ; Xiaosheng Wang,
| | - Xiaosheng Wang
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Zhixian Liu, ; Xiaosheng Wang,
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Jin C, Qi J, Wang Q, Pu C, Tan M. Cardiotoxicity of lung cancer-related immunotherapy versus chemotherapy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1158690. [PMID: 37124488 PMCID: PMC10141653 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1158690] [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: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) cause various toxicities during cancer treatment, but the effects of different inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy for cardiotoxicity remain controversial. The aim of the present study was to assess cardiotoxicity caused by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed cell death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte associate protein-4 (CTLA-4) in combination with chemotherapy to treat lung cancer. Methods The following ICIs were included in the present study: durvalumab, avelumab, ipilimumab, atezolizumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, and nivolumab. The relevant information was extracted using a predefined data extraction table, and the risk of bias was assessed in randomized controlled trials using the Cochrane Bias Risk tool. The main outcomes were hypertension, heart failure, pericardial effusion, and other adverse cardiac events. The random effects model was used to conduct a paired meta-analysis, and a random effects network meta-analysis was then performed within a Bayesian framework. Results In total, 17 RCTs were included in the present study. There were 11,063 individuals in the experimental and control groups, with an average age greater than 60 years. Based on the evaluation of all drug classes in RCTs, CTLA-4+chemotherapy (RR, -0.69 [95% CI, 2.91-1.52] and PD-L1 (RR, -0.21 [95% CI, -1.03-0.60]) were less cardiotoxic than the control arm, which indicated they were safer options for adverse cardiac events. PD-L1 alone was less cardiotoxic than PD-1 alone (RR, -0.57 [95% CI, -1.96-0.82]). Further, the dual immunotarget inhibitor, PD-1+CTLA-4, had the lowest SUCRA value and had the highest cardiotoxicity (SUCRA=9). Conclusion When classified according to drug type, CTLA-4+chemotherapy is associated with fewer cardiac adverse events compared to other treatments. Dual immunotarget inhibitors are more likely to have adverse cardiac reactions. Therefore, clinicians should consider this evidence when developing an ICI immunotherapy regimen for lung cancer. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42023360931.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengwei Jin
- Department of Cardiology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Jia Qi
- Department of Cardiology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Qilei Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Chenwei Pu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Zibo Central Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Mingming Tan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Zibo Central Hospital, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence: Mingming Tan,
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Zheng J, Qiu D, Jiang X, Zhao Y, Zhao H, Wu X, Chen J, Lai J, Zhang W, Li X, Li Y, Wu X, Jin Z. Increased PD-1 +Foxp3 + γδ T cells associate with poor overall survival for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1007565. [PMID: 36591503 PMCID: PMC9799959 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1007565] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Problems γδ T cells are essential for anti-leukemia function in immunotherapy, however, γδ T cells have different functional subsets, including regulatory cell subsets expressing the Foxp3. Whether they are correlated with immune-checkpoint mediated T cell immune dysfunction remains unknown in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods In this study, we used RNA-seq data from 167 patients in TCGA dataset to analyze the correlation between PD-1 and FOXP3 genes and these two genes' association with the prognosis of AML patients. The expression proportion of Foxp3+/PD-1+ cells in γδ T cells and two subgroups Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells were performed by flow cytometry. The expression level of FOXP3 and PD-1 genes in γδ T cells were sorted from peripheral blood by MACS magnetic cell sorting technique were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Results We found that PD-1 gene was positively correlated with FOXP3 gene and highly co-expressed PD-1 and FOXP3 genes were associated with poor overall survival (OS) from TCGA database. Then, we detected a skewed distribution of γδ T cells with increased Vδ1 and decreased Vδ2 T cell subsets in AML. Moreover, significantly higher percentages of PD-1+ γδ, Foxp3+ γδ, and PD-1+Foxp3+ γδ T cells were detected in de novo AML patients compared with healthy individuals. More importantly, AML patients containing higher PD-1+Foxp3+ γδ T cells had lower OS, which might be a potential therapeutic target for leukemia immunotherapy. Conclusion A significant increase in the PD-1+Foxp3+ γδ T cell subset in AML was associated with poor clinical outcome, which provides predictive value for the study of AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamian Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Qiu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Heyuan People’s Hospital, Heyuan, China
| | - Xuan Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haotian Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofang Wu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Lai
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenbin Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xutong Li
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yangqiu Li, ; Xiuli Wu, ; Zhenyi Jin,
| | - Xiuli Wu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yangqiu Li, ; Xiuli Wu, ; Zhenyi Jin,
| | - Zhenyi Jin
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yangqiu Li, ; Xiuli Wu, ; Zhenyi Jin,
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Zhang D, Fu Z, Guo Y, Guo F, Wan Y, Guan G. Circ_0000052/miR-382-3p axis induces PD-L1 expression and regulates cell proliferation and immune evasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. J Cell Mol Med 2022; 27:113-126. [PMID: 36515567 PMCID: PMC9806294 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying PD-L1 aberrant expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) will help reveal predictive biomarkers and overcome resistance to treatment. In this study, the prognostic significance of PD-L1 in forty-five HNSCC archival samples was determined by qRT-PCR. The biological function associated with malignant behaviour was assessed by PD-L1 depletion, miR-382-3p re-expression and regulation of circ_0000052. The interactions of PD-L1-miRNA and miRNA-circRNA were determined by qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assays and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. PD-L1 was highly expressed in patient samples and cancer cell lines. Higher levels of PD-L1 were associated with patient recurrences and play a pivotal role in regulating cell proliferation, migration, invasion, clonogenicity and apoptosis. In addition to demonstrating that the IFN-γ/JAK2/STAT1 signalling pathway can induce PD-L1 overexpression in HNSCC, a novel mechanism by which upregulated circ_0000052 mediates PD-L1 overexpression was also demonstrated. To do this, circ_0000052 competitively binds to miR-382-3p and alleviates its repression of PD-L1. This leads to overexpression of PD-L1, causing the aggressiveness of the cells. Our data demonstrate that circ_0000052 is oncogenic, and the circ_0000052/miR-382-3p/PD-L1 axis is critical in HNSCC progression. The manipulation of circRNAs/miRNAs in combination with anti-PD-L1 therapy may improve personalized disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- De‐Jun Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe Second Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Ze‐Ming Fu
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe Second Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Ying‐Yuan Guo
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe Second Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Fang Guo
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe Second Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Yi‐Ning Wan
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe Second Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Guo‐Fang Guan
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe Second Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchunChina
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Sun Y, Xu J. Emerging Antibodies in Cancer Therapy. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202200083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Sun
- Section of Infectious Diseases Department of Internal Medicine Yale University School of Medicine New Haven CT 06510 USA
| | - Jian Xu
- School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
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Liu L, Chen J. Therapeutic antibodies for precise cancer immunotherapy: current and future perspectives. MEDICAL REVIEW (BERLIN, GERMANY) 2022; 2:555-569. [PMID: 37724258 PMCID: PMC10471122 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2022-0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies, as one of the most important components of host adaptive immune system, play an important role in defense of infectious disease, immune surveillance, and autoimmune disease. Due to the development of recombinant antibody technology, antibody therapeutics become the largest and rapidly expanding drug to provide major health benefits to patients, especially for the treatment of cancer patients. Many antibody-based therapeutic strategies have been developed including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific and trispecific antibodies and pro-antibodies with promising results from both clinical and pre-clinical trials. However, the response rate and side-effect still vary between patients with undefined mechanisms. Here, we summarized the current and future perspectives of antibody-based cancer immunotherapeutic strategies for designing next-generation drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longchao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Mechanisms of Resistance and Strategies to Combat Resistance in PD-(L)1 Blockade. IMMUNO 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/immuno2040041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolonged survival and durable responses in several late-stage cancers such as melanoma and lung cancer have been made possible with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed cell-death protein 1 (PD-1) or its ligand PD-L1. While it is prudent to focus on the unprecedented and durable clinical responses, there are subsets of cancer patients that do not respond to immunotherapies or respond early and then relapse later. Many pathways of resistance have been characterized, and more continue to be uncovered. To overcome the development of resistance, an in-depth investigation is necessary to identify alternative immune receptors and signals with the overarching goal of expanding treatment options for those with demonstrated resistance to PD1 checkpoint immunotherapy. In this mini-review, we will discuss the mechanisms by which tumors exhibit resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy and explore strategies to overcome such resistances.
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