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Huang S, Qin Z, Wang F, Kang Y, Ren B. A potential mechanism of tumor immune escape: Regulation and application of soluble natural killer group 2 member D ligands (Review). Oncol Rep 2024; 52:137. [PMID: 39155864 PMCID: PMC11358674 DOI: 10.3892/or.2024.8796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune system is integral to the surveillance and eradication of tumor cells. Interactions between the natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) receptor and its ligands (NKG2DLs) are vital for activating NKG2D receptor‑positive immune cells, such as natural killer cells. This activation enables these cells to identify and destroy tumor cells presenting with NKG2DLs, which is an essential aspect of tumor immunity. However, tumor immune escape is facilitated by soluble NKG2DL (sNKG2DL) shed from the surface of tumor cells. The production of sNKG2DL is predominantly regulated by metalloproteinases [a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAM) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) families] and exosomes. sNKG2DL not only diminish immune recognition on the tumor cell surface but also suppress the function of immune cells, such as NK cells, and reduce the expression of the NKG2D receptor. This process promotes immune evasion, progression, and metastasis of tumors. In this review, an in‑depth summary of the mechanisms and factors that influence sNKG2DL production and their contribution to immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment are provided. Furthermore, due to the significant link between sNKG2DLs and tumor progression and metastasis, they have great potential as novel biomarkers. Detectable via liquid biopsies, sNKG2DLs could assess tumor malignancy and prognosis, and act as pivotal targets for immunotherapy. This could lead to the discovery of new drugs or the enhancement of existing treatments. Thus, the application of sNKG2DLs in clinical oncology was explored, offering substantial theoretical support for the development of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies for sNKG2DLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhao Huang
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Zihao Qin
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Feiyang Wang
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Yiping Kang
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Biqiong Ren
- Hunan Center for Clinical Laboratory, Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan 410007, P.R. China
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Tang X, He L, Wang X, Liu S, Liu X, Shen X, Shu Y, Yang K, Zhou Q, Shan Z, Wang Y, Wu C, Jia Z, Liu T, Wang Y, Liao HX, Xia Y. Isolation of anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies targeting on MICA/B α3 domain by single B cell technology for colon cancer therapy. Heliyon 2024; 10:e35697. [PMID: 39170144 PMCID: PMC11336886 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer (CC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies. Effectiveness of the existing therapies is limited. Immunotherapy is a promising complementary treatment approach for CC. Major histocompatibility complex class I-related protein A and B (MICA/B) are ligands for NK cells. Shedding of MICA/B from the surface of tumor cells by cleavage of MICA/B at the membrane proxial region in MICA/B α3 structural domain is one of immune evasion strategies leading to escape of cancer cells from immunosurveillance. In this study, we generated a panel of MICA/B monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and identified one of mAbs, mAb RDM028, that had high binding affinity to MICA/B and recognized a site on MICA/B α3 structural domain that is critically important for cleavage of MICA/B. Our study has further demonstrated that RDM028 augmented the surface expression of MICA/B on HCT-116 human CC cells by inhibiting the MICA/B shedding resulting in the enhanced cyotoxicity of NK cells against HCT-116 human CC cells and mediated anti-tumor activity in nude mouse model of colon cancer. These results indicate that mAb RDM028 could be explored for developing as an effective immuno therapy against CC by targeting the MICA/B α3 domain to promot immunosurveillance mediated by MICA/B-NKG2D interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyi Tang
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Linhai He
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuaichao Liu
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiangning Liu
- Clinical Research Platform for Interdiscipline of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Department of Stomatology, College of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaorui Shen
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Yun Shu
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Ke Yang
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Qionghua Zhou
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Zujian Shan
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
| | - Yueming Wang
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Changwen Wu
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenxing Jia
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Tong Liu
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Yayu Wang
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Hua-Xin Liao
- Zhuhai Trinomab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Yun Xia
- The People's Hospital of Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
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Guo F, Du N, Wen X, Li Z, Guo Y, Zhou L, Hoffman AR, Li L, Hu JF, Cui J. CircARAP2 controls sMICA-induced NK cell desensitization by erasing CTCF/PRC2-induced suppression in early endosome marker RAB5A. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:307. [PMID: 39048814 PMCID: PMC11335232 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05285-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer cells (NK) are the "professional killer" of tumors and play a crucial role in anti-tumor immunotherapy. NK cell desensitization is a key mechanism of tumor immune escape. Dysregulated NKG2D-NKG2DL signaling is a primary driver of this desensitization process. However, the factors that regulate NK cell desensitization remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we present the first report that circular RNA circARAP2 (hsa_circ_0069396) is involved in the soluble MICA (sMICA)-induced NKG2D endocytosis in the NK cell desensitization model. CircARAP2 was upregulated during NK cell desensitization and the loss of circARAP2 alleviated NKG2D endocytosis and NK cell desensitization. Using Chromatin isolation by RNA purification (ChIRP) and RNA pull-down approaches, we identified that RAB5A, a molecular marker of early endosomes, was its downstream target. Notably, transcription factor CTCF was an intermediate functional partner of circARAP2. Mechanistically, we discovered that circARAP2 interacted with CTCF and inhibited the recruitment of CTCF-Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) to the promoter region of RAB5A, thereby erasing histone H3K27 and H3K9 methylation suppression to enhance RAB5A transcription. These data demonstrate that inhibition of circARAP2 effectively alleviates sMICA-induced NKG2D endocytosis and NK cell desensitization, providing a novel target for therapeutic intervention in tumor immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Guo
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Nawen Du
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xue Wen
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Zhaozhi Li
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yantong Guo
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Andrew R Hoffman
- Stanford University School of Medicine, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Lingyu Li
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Ji-Fan Hu
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China.
- Stanford University School of Medicine, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
| | - Jiuwei Cui
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China.
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Niu X, Zhang Z, Zhou Q, Wuethrich A, Lobb R, Trau M. Analysis of secreted small extracellular vesicles from activated human microglial cell lines reveals distinct pro- and anti-inflammatory proteomic profiles. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300094. [PMID: 38343172 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are a specialized population of innate immune cells located in the central nervous system. In response to physiological and pathological changes in their microenvironment, microglia can polarize into pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory phenotypes. A dysregulation in the pro-/anti-inflammatory balance is associated with many pathophysiological changes in the brain and nervous system. Therefore, the balance between microglia pro-/anti-inflammatory polarization can be a potential biomarker for the various brain pathologies. A non-invasive method of detecting microglia polarization in patients would have promising clinical applications. Here, we perform proteomic analysis of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from microglia cells to identify sEVs biomarkers indicative of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory phenotypic changes. sEVs were isolated from microglia cell lines under different inflammatory conditions and analyzed by proteomics by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Our findings provide the potential roles of sEVs that could be related to the pathogenesis of various brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueming Niu
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Quan Zhou
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Alain Wuethrich
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Richard Lobb
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Matt Trau
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Yang C, Qian C, Zheng W, Dong G, Zhang S, Wang F, Wei Z, Xu Y, Wang A, Zhao Y, Lu Y. Ginsenoside Rh2 enhances immune surveillance of natural killer (NK) cells via inhibition of ERp5 in breast cancer. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 123:155180. [PMID: 38043385 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155180] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One critical component of the immune system that prevents breast cancer cells from forming distant metastasis is natural killer (NK) cells participating in immune responses to tumors. Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) as one of the major active ingredients of ginseng has been employed in treatment of cancers, but the function of GRh2 in modulating the development of breast cancer remains elusive. PURPOSE This study was to dissect the effect of GRh2 against breast cancer and its potential mechanisms associated with NK cells, both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells were used to establish in situ and hematogenous mouse models. MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 were respectively co-cultured with NK92MI cells or primary NK cells in vitro. Anti-tumor efficacy of GRh2 was verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC), Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning of lungs and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay, flow cytometry, in vivo depletion of NK cells, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence and cell transfection were performed for investigating the anti-tumor mechanisms of GRh2. Molecular docking, microscale thermophoresis (MST) and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were employed to determine the binding between endoplasmic reticulum protein 5 (ERp5) and GRh2. RESULTS We demonstrated that GRh2 exerted prominent impacts on retarding the growth and metastasis of breast cancer through boosting the cytotoxic function of NK cells, as validated by the elevated release of perforin, granzyme B and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Mechanistical studies revealed that GRh2 was capable of diminishing the expression of ERp5 and GRh2 directly bound to ERp5 in MDA-MB-231 cells as well as on a recombinant protein level. GRh2 prevented the formation of soluble MICA (sMICA) and upregulated the expression level of MICA in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, the reduced lung metastasis of breast cancer by GRh2 was almost abolished upon the depletion of NK cells. Moreover, GRh2 was able to insert into the binding pocket of ERp5 directly. CONCLUSION We firstly demonstrated that GRh2 played a pivotal role in augmenting NK cell activity by virtue of modulating the NKG2D-MICA signaling axis via directly binding to ERp5, and may be further optimized to a therapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Cheng Qian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Weiwei Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Guanglu Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shan Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Feihui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhonghong Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuhua Xu
- Jiangsu Health Vocational College, Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Aiyun Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Yin Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Chung H, Cho H. Recent advances in cellular immunotherapy for lymphoid malignancies. Blood Res 2023; 58:166-172. [PMID: 37964655 PMCID: PMC10758636 DOI: 10.5045/br.2023.2023177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells has revolutionized the treatment of lymphoid malignancies. This review addresses the need for CAR expression in our endogenous T-cells to kill tumor cells with a focus on the basic principles of T-cell receptor recognition of major histocompatibility complex-peptide complexes. We review the factors associated with CAR T-cell outcomes and recent efforts to employ CAR T-cells in earlier lines of therapy. We also discuss the value of bispecific T-cell engagers as off-the-shelf products with better toxicity profiles. Finally, natural killer cells are discussed as an important cellular immunotherapy platform with the potential to broaden immunotherapeutic applications beyond lymphoid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haerim Chung
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyunsoo Cho
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Guo F, Zhang Y, Bai L, Cui J. Natural killer cell therapy targeting cancer stem cells: Old wine in a new bottle. Cancer Lett 2023; 570:216328. [PMID: 37499742 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
A small proportion of cancer cells that have stem cell-like properties are known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). They can be used to identify malignant tumor phenotypes and patients with poor prognosis. Targeting these cells has been shown to improve the effectiveness of cancer therapies. Owing to the nature of CSCs, they are resistant to conventional treatment methods such as radio- and chemotherapy. Therefore, more effective anti-CSC therapies are required. Immunotherapy, including natural killer (NK) and T cell therapy, has demonstrated the ability to eliminate CSCs. NK cells have demonstrated superior anti-CSC capabilities compared to T cells in recognizing low levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression. However, CSC escape also occurs during NK cell therapy. It is important to determine CSC-specific immune evasion mechanisms and find out potential solutions to optimize NK cell function. Therefore, this review discusses promising strategies that can improve the efficiency of NK cell therapy in treating CSCs, and aims to provide a reference for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Guo
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ling Bai
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jiuwei Cui
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, 71 Xinmin Street, Changchun, 130021, China.
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8
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Shin E, Bak SH, Park T, Kim JW, Yoon SR, Jung H, Noh JY. Understanding NK cell biology for harnessing NK cell therapies: targeting cancer and beyond. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1192907. [PMID: 37539051 PMCID: PMC10395517 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1192907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-engineered immune cell therapies have partially transformed cancer treatment, as exemplified by the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells in certain hematologic malignancies. However, there are several limitations that need to be addressed to target more cancer types. Natural killer (NK) cells are a type of innate immune cells that represent a unique biology in cancer immune surveillance. In particular, NK cells obtained from heathy donors can serve as a source for genetically engineered immune cell therapies. Therefore, NK-based therapies, including NK cells, CAR-NK cells, and antibodies that induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of NK cells, have emerged. With recent advances in genetic engineering and cell biology techniques, NK cell-based therapies have become promising approaches for a wide range of cancers, viral infections, and senescence. This review provides a brief overview of NK cell characteristics and summarizes diseases that could benefit from NK-based therapies. In addition, we discuss recent preclinical and clinical investigations on the use of adoptive NK cell transfer and agents that can modulate NK cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunju Shin
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Ho Bak
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeho Park
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Kim
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Ran Yoon
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyoung Jung
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yoon Noh
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Hogan JM, Lee PS, Wong SC, West SM, Morishige WH, Bee C, Tapia GC, Rajpal A, Strop P, Dollinger G. Residue-Level Characterization of Antibody Binding Epitopes Using Carbene Chemical Footprinting. Anal Chem 2023; 95:3922-3931. [PMID: 36791402 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Characterization of antibody binding epitopes is an important factor in therapeutic drug discovery, as the binding site determines and drives antibody pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. Here, we present a novel application of carbene chemical footprinting with mass spectrometry for identification of antibody binding epitopes at the single-residue level. Two different photoactivated diazirine reagents provide complementary labeling information allowing structural refinement of the antibody binding interface. We applied this technique to map the epitopes of multiple MICA and CTLA-4 antibodies and validated the findings with X-ray crystallography and yeast surface display epitope mapping. The characterized epitopes were used to understand biolayer interferometry-derived competitive binding results at the structural level. We show that carbene footprinting provides fast and high-resolution epitope information critical in the antibody selection process and enables mechanistic understanding of function to accelerate the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Hogan
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Peter S Lee
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Susan C Wong
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Sean M West
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Winse H Morishige
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Christine Bee
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Gamze Camdere Tapia
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Arvind Rajpal
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Pavel Strop
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Gavin Dollinger
- Discovery Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
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10
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Whalen KA, Rakhra K, Mehta NK, Steinle A, Michaelson JS, Baeuerle PA. Engaging natural killer cells for cancer therapy via NKG2D, CD16A and other receptors. MAbs 2023; 15:2208697. [PMID: 37165468 PMCID: PMC10173799 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2023.2208697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of immuno-oncology has revolutionized cancer patient care and improved survival and quality of life for patients. Much of the focus in the field has been on exploiting the power of the adaptive immune response through therapeutic targeting of T cells. While these approaches have markedly advanced the field, some challenges remain, and the clinical benefit of T cell therapies does not extend to all patients or tumor indications. Alternative strategies, such as engaging the innate immune system, have become an intense area of focus in the field. In particular, the engagement of natural killer (NK) cells as potent effectors of the innate immune response has emerged as a promising modality in immunotherapy. Here, we review therapeutic approaches for selective engagement of NK cells for cancer therapy, with a particular focus on targeting the key activating receptors NK Group 2D (NKG2D) and cluster of differentiation 16A (CD16A).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry A. Whalen
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kavya Rakhra
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Naveen K. Mehta
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Steinle
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Preclinical and Early Development, Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Patrick A. Baeuerle
- Preclinical and Early Development, Cullinan Oncology, Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
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11
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Secchiari F, Nuñez SY, Sierra JM, Ziblat A, Regge MV, Raffo Iraolagoitia XL, Rovegno A, Ameri C, Secin FP, Richards N, Ríos Pita H, Vitagliano G, Rico L, Mieggi M, Frascheri F, Bonanno N, Blas L, Trotta A, Friedrich AD, Fuertes MB, Domaica CI, Zwirner NW. The MICA-NKG2D axis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma bolsters MICA as target in immuno-oncology. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2104991. [PMID: 35936986 PMCID: PMC9354769 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2104991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
NKG2D is a major natural killer (NK) cell-activating receptor that recognizes eight ligands (NKG2DLs), including MICA, and whose engagement triggers NK cell effector functions. As NKG2DLs are upregulated on tumor cells but tumors can subvert the NKG2D-NKG2DL axis, NKG2DLs constitute attractive targets for antibody (Ab)-based immuno-oncology therapies. However, such approaches require a deep characterization of NKG2DLs and NKG2D cell surface expression on primary tumor and immune cells. Here, using a bioinformatic analysis, we observed that MICA is overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and we also detected an association between the NKG2D-MICA axis and a diminished overall survival of RCC patients. Also, by flow cytometry (FC), we observed that MICA was the only NKG2DL over-expressed on clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumor cells, including cancer stem cells (CSC) that also coexpressed NKG2D. Moreover, tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TIL), but not peripheral blood lymphoid cells (PBL) from ccRCC patients, over-expressed MICA, ULBP3 and ULBP4. In addition, NKG2D was downregulated on peripheral blood NK cells (PBNK) from ccRCC patients but upregulated on tumor-infiltrating NK cells (TINK). These TINK exhibited impaired degranulation that negatively correlated with NKG2D expression, diminished IFN-γ production, upregulation of TIM-3, and an impaired glucose intake upon stimulation with cytokines, indicating that they are dysfunctional, display features of exhaustion and an altered metabolic fitness. We conclude that ccRCC patients exhibit a distorted MICA-NKG2D axis, and MICA emerges as the forefront NKG2DL for the development of targeted therapies in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Secchiari
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Sol Yanel Nuñez
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Jessica Mariel Sierra
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Andrea Ziblat
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - María Victoria Regge
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Ximena Lucía Raffo Iraolagoitia
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Agustín Rovegno
- Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno” (CEMIC)
| | - Carlos Ameri
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Pablo Secin
- Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno” (CEMIC)
| | - Nicolás Richards
- Servicio de Urología, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno” (CEMIC)
| | | | | | - Luis Rico
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauro Mieggi
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Nicolás Bonanno
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leandro Blas
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aldana Trotta
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Adrián David Friedrich
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Mercedes Beatriz Fuertes
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Carolina Inés Domaica
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
| | - Norberto Walter Zwirner
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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12
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Harnessing natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy: dispatching the first responders. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2022; 21:559-577. [PMID: 35314852 PMCID: PMC10019065 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00413-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have crucial roles in the innate immunosurveillance of cancer and viral infections. They are 'first responders' that can spontaneously recognize abnormal cells in the body, rapidly eliminate them through focused cytotoxicity mechanisms and potently produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that recruit and activate other immune cells to initiate an adaptive response. From the initial discovery of the diverse cell surface receptors on NK cells to the characterization of regulatory events that control their function, our understanding of the basic biology of NK cells has improved dramatically in the past three decades. This advanced knowledge has revealed increased mechanistic complexity, which has opened the doors to the development of a plethora of exciting new therapeutics that can effectively manipulate and target NK cell functional responses, particularly in cancer patients. Here, we summarize the basic mechanisms that regulate NK cell biology, review a wide variety of drugs, cytokines and antibodies currently being developed and used to stimulate NK cell responses, and outline evolving NK cell adoptive transfer approaches to treat cancer.
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13
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Fuertes MB, Domaica CI, Zwirner NW. Leveraging NKG2D Ligands in Immuno-Oncology. Front Immunol 2021; 12:713158. [PMID: 34394116 PMCID: PMC8358801 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.713158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) revolutionized the field of immuno-oncology and opened new avenues towards the development of novel assets to achieve durable immune control of cancer. Yet, the presence of tumor immune evasion mechanisms represents a challenge for the development of efficient treatment options. Therefore, combination therapies are taking the center of the stage in immuno-oncology. Such combination therapies should boost anti-tumor immune responses and/or target tumor immune escape mechanisms, especially those created by major players in the tumor microenvironment (TME) such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). Natural killer (NK) cells were recently positioned at the forefront of many immunotherapy strategies, and several new approaches are being designed to fully exploit NK cell antitumor potential. One of the most relevant NK cell-activating receptors is NKG2D, a receptor that recognizes 8 different NKG2D ligands (NKG2DL), including MICA and MICB. MICA and MICB are poorly expressed on normal cells but become upregulated on the surface of damaged, transformed or infected cells as a result of post-transcriptional or post-translational mechanisms and intracellular pathways. Their engagement of NKG2D triggers NK cell effector functions. Also, MICA/B are polymorphic and such polymorphism affects functional responses through regulation of their cell-surface expression, intracellular trafficking, shedding of soluble immunosuppressive isoforms, or the affinity of NKG2D interaction. Although immunotherapeutic approaches that target the NKG2D-NKG2DL axis are under investigation, several tumor immune escape mechanisms account for reduced cell surface expression of NKG2DL and contribute to tumor immune escape. Also, NKG2DL polymorphism determines functional NKG2D-dependent responses, thus representing an additional challenge for leveraging NKG2DL in immuno-oncology. In this review, we discuss strategies to boost MICA/B expression and/or inhibit their shedding and propose that combination strategies that target MICA/B with antibodies and strategies aimed at promoting their upregulation on tumor cells or at reprograming TAM into pro-inflammatory macrophages and remodeling of the TME, emerge as frontrunners in immuno-oncology because they may unleash the antitumor effector functions of NK cells and cytotoxic CD8 T cells (CTL). Pursuing several of these pipelines might lead to innovative modalities of immunotherapy for the treatment of a wide range of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Beatriz Fuertes
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Inés Domaica
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Norberto Walter Zwirner
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Cao Y, Wang X, Jin T, Tian Y, Dai C, Widarma C, Song R, Xu F. Immune checkpoint molecules in natural killer cells as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:250. [PMID: 33122640 PMCID: PMC7596531 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of natural killer (NK) cells in immunotherapy to treat multiple types of cancer. NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that play essential roles in tumor surveillance and control that efficiently kill the tumor and do not require the major histocompatibility complex. The discovery of the NK's potential as a promising therapeutic target for cancer is a relief to oncologists as they face the challenge of increased chemo-resistant cancers. NK cells show great potential against solid and hematologic tumors and have progressively shown promise as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. The effector role of these cells is reliant on the balance of inhibitory and activating signals. Understanding the role of various immune checkpoint molecules in the exhaustion and impairment of NK cells when their inhibitory receptors are excessively expressed is particularly important in cancer immunotherapy studies and clinical implementation. Emerging immune checkpoint receptors and molecules have been found to mediate NK cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment; this has brought up the need to explore further additional NK cell-related immune checkpoints that may be exploited to enhance the immune response to refractory cancers. Accordingly, this review will focus on the recent findings concerning the roles of immune checkpoint molecules and receptors in the regulation of NK cell function, as well as their potential application in tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- College of Life and Health Science, Northeastern University, 110819, Shenyang, China
| | - Tianqiang Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Chaoliu Dai
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Crystal Widarma
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA
| | - Rui Song
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA.
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China.
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15
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Ramachandran D, Schürmann P, Mao Q, Wang Y, Bretschneider LM, Speith LM, Hülse F, Enßen J, Bousset K, Jentschke M, Böhmer G, Strauß HG, Hirchenhain C, Schmidmayr M, Tarbiat J, Runnebaum I, Dürst M, Hein A, Koch M, Ruebner M, Ekici A, Beckmann MW, Fasching PA, Luyten A, Petry KU, Hillemanns P, Dörk T. Association of genomic variants at the human leukocyte antigen locus with cervical cancer risk, HPV status and gene expression levels. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:2458-2468. [PMID: 32580243 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus on chromosome 6 has been reported to be associated with cervical cancer. We investigated two independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms in a large case-control series of cervical dysplasia and carcinoma that has been newly established by the German Cervigen Consortium, comprising a total of 2481 cases and 1556 healthy females. We find significant associations for both variants, rs9272117 at HLA-DQA1 and rs2844511 at MICA and HCP5, with cervical disease. Both variants showed evidence of association with invasive cervical cancer (rs9272117: OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-0.99, P = .036; rs2844511: OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31, P = .008) and with high-grade dysplasia (rs9272117: OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70-0.87, P = 7.1 × 10-6 ; rs2844511: OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26, P = .035), as well as in a combined analysis of both groups (rs9272117: OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.75-0.91, P = 6.9 × 10-5 ; rs2844511: OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.26, P = .005). Variant rs2844511, but not rs9272117, also showed modest evidence of association with low-grade dysplasia (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04-1.54, P = .019). In case-only analyses, rs2844511 tended to predict HPV status (P = .044) and rs9272117 tended to associate with HPV16 (P = .022). RNA studies in cervical samples showed a significant correlation in the transcript levels of MICA, HCP5 and HLA-DQA1, suggesting extensive co-regulation. All three genes were upregulated in HPV16-positive samples. In stratified analyses, rs9272117 was associated with HLA-DQA1 levels, specifically in HPV-positive samples, while rs2844511 was associated with MICA and HCP5 levels. The risk allele of rs2844511 was required for correlations between MICA or HCP5 with HLA-DQA1. Altogether, our results support 6p21.32-33 as the first consistent cervical cancer susceptibility locus and provide evidence for a link between genetic risk variants, HPV16 status and transcript levels of HLA-DQA1, HCP5 and MICA, which may contribute to tumor immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhanya Ramachandran
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Peter Schürmann
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Qianqian Mao
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yingying Wang
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lisa-Marie Bretschneider
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lisa-Marie Speith
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Fabienne Hülse
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Julia Enßen
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kristine Bousset
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthias Jentschke
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Hans-Georg Strauß
- Department of Gynaecology, University Clinics, Martin-Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
| | - Christine Hirchenhain
- Department of Gynaecology, Clinics Carl Gustav Carus, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Monika Schmidmayr
- Department of Gynaecology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Ingo Runnebaum
- Department of Gynecology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Dürst
- Department of Gynecology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Hein
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erlangen University Hospital, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Koch
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erlangen University Hospital, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Ruebner
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erlangen University Hospital, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arif Ekici
- Institute of Human Genetics, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias W Beckmann
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erlangen University Hospital, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter A Fasching
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erlangen University Hospital, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alexander Luyten
- Dysplasia Unit, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mare Klinikum, Kronshagen, Germany.,Department of Gynecology, Wolfsburg Hospital, Wolfsburg, Germany
| | | | - Peter Hillemanns
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thilo Dörk
- Department of Gynaecology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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16
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Wu X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Schmidt-Wolf IG. Increase of Antitumoral Effects of Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells by Antibody-Mediated Inhibition of MICA Shedding. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071818. [PMID: 32645836 PMCID: PMC7408690 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) receptor plays a pivotal role in cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity against malignancies, and the expression of NKG2D ligands might allow targets to be more susceptible to the CIK cell-mediated destruction. In this study, we investigated the synergistic effects of CIK cells antitumor activity and antibody-mediated inhibition of MICA/B shedding. This monoclonal antibody (7C6) has been previously shown to be able to specifically target MICA/B a3 domain on tumor cells, resulting in the increase in cell surface MICA/B expression by inhibition of their shedding. In the current study, we show that 7C6 antibody could substantially inhibit MICA shedding and stabilize the expression of MICA/B on Hela cells and MDA-MB-231 cells. In combination with 7C6, CIK cells showed higher degranulation rate, more IFN-γ production and elevated cytotoxic capacity against tumor cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that NKG2D-MICA/B ligation could lead to activation of both CD3+ CD56− T cells and CD3+CD56+ NKT subset cells of CIK culture and NKT subset was more sensitive to NKG2D signaling than the counterpart T cells. 7C6-mediated inhibition of MICA shedding could strengthen this signal and eventually enhance the antitumor activity of CIK cells. With multiple advantages of easy ex vivo expansion, minor GVHD, natural tumor trafficking and non-MHC restricted, CIK cell-based therapy may serve as a potent combination partner with MICA antibody-mediated immunotherapy.
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17
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Torres N, Regge MV, Secchiari F, Friedrich AD, Spallanzani RG, Raffo Iraolagoitia XL, Núñez SY, Sierra JM, Ziblat A, Santilli MC, Gilio N, Almada E, Lauche C, Pardo R, Domaica CI, Fuertes MB, Madauss KP, Hance KW, Gloger IS, Zylberman V, Goldbaum FA, Zwirner NW. Restoration of antitumor immunity through anti-MICA antibodies elicited with a chimeric protein. J Immunother Cancer 2020; 8:jitc-2019-000233. [PMID: 32518090 PMCID: PMC7282397 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2019-000233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Natural killer and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are major players during antitumor immunity. They express NKG2D, an activating receptor that promotes tumor elimination through recognition of the MHC class I chain-related proteins A and B (MICA and MICB). Both molecules are overexpressed on a great variety of tumors from different tissues, making them attractive targets for immunotherapy. However, tumors shed MICA and MICB, and the soluble forms of both (sMICA and sMICB) mediate tumor-immune escape. Some reports indicate that anti-MICA antibodies (Ab) can promote the restoration of antitumor immunity through the induction of direct antitumor effects (antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, ADCC) and scavenging of sMICA. Therefore, we reasoned that an active induction of anti-MICA Ab with an immunogenic protein might represent a novel therapeutic and prophylactic alternative to restore antitumor immunity. Methods We generated a highly immunogenic chimeric protein (BLS-MICA) consisting of human MICA fused to the lumazine synthase from Brucella spp (BLS) and used it to generate anti-MICA polyclonal Ab (pAb) and to investigate if these anti-MICA Ab can reinstate antitumor immunity in mice using two different mouse tumors engineered to express MICA. We also explored the underlying mechanisms of this expected therapeutic effect. Results Immunization with BLS-MICA and administration of anti-MICA pAb elicited by BLS-MICA significantly delayed the growth of MICA-expressing mouse tumors but not of control tumors. The therapeutic effect of immunization with BLS-MICA included scavenging of sMICA and the anti-MICA Ab-mediated ADCC, promoting heightened intratumoral M1/proinflammatory macrophage and antigen-experienced CD8+ T cell recruitment. Conclusions Immunization with the chimeric protein BLS-MICA constitutes a useful way to actively induce therapeutic anti-MICA pAb that resulted in a reprogramming of the antitumor immune response towards an antitumoral/proinflammatory phenotype. Hence, the BLS-MICA chimeric protein constitutes a novel antitumor vaccine of potential application in patients with MICA-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Torres
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Regge
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Secchiari
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrián David Friedrich
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Raúl Germán Spallanzani
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ximena Lucía Raffo Iraolagoitia
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sol Yanel Núñez
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jessica Mariel Sierra
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Ziblat
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Cecilia Santilli
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Gilio
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Evangelina Almada
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Carolina Inés Domaica
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mercedes Beatriz Fuertes
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Kevin Patrick Madauss
- Trust in Science, Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA, United States
| | | | - Israel S Gloger
- Trust in Science, Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | | | - Fernando Alberto Goldbaum
- Inmunova, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Norberto Walter Zwirner
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de la Inmunidad Innata, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina .,Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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