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Chen S, Cheng S, Cai J, Liu Z, Li H, Wang P, Li Y, Yang F, Chen K, Qiu M. The current therapeutic cancer vaccines landscape in non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Cancer 2024; 155:1909-1927. [PMID: 39109825 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35088] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Currently, conventional immunotherapies for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have low response rates and benefit only a minority of patients, particularly those with advanced disease, so novel therapeutic strategies are urgent deeded. Therapeutic cancer vaccines, a form of active immunotherapy, harness potential to activate the adaptive immune system against tumor cells via antigen cross-presentation. Cancer vaccines can establish enduring immune memory and guard against recurrences. Vaccine-induced tumor cell death prompts antigen epitope spreading, activating functional T cells and thereby sustaining a cancer-immunity cycle. The success of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rendered cancer vaccines a promising avenue, especially when combined with immunotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for NSCLC. This review delves into the intricate antitumor immune mechanisms underlying therapeutic cancer vaccines, enumerates the tumor antigen spectrum of NSCLC, discusses different cancer vaccines progress and summarizes relevant clinical trials. Additionally, we analyze the combination strategies, current limitations, and future prospects of cancer vaccines in NSCLC treatment, aiming to offer fresh insights for their clinical application in managing NSCLC. Overall, cancer vaccines offer promising potential for NSCLC treatment, particularly combining with chemoradiotherapy or immunotherapy could further improve survival in advanced patients. Exploring inhaled vaccines or prophylactic vaccines represents a crucial research avenue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyi Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Sida Cheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingsheng Cai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Haoran Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Peiyu Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kezhong Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mantang Qiu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
- Thoracic Oncology Institute, Peking University People's Hospital Thoracic Oncology Institute & Research Unit of Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment in Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Beijing, China
- Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Linette GP, Bear AS, Carreno BM. Facts and Hopes in Immunotherapy Strategies Targeting Antigens Derived from KRAS Mutations. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:2017-2024. [PMID: 38266167 PMCID: PMC11094419 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-1212] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In this commentary, we advance the notion that mutant KRAS (mKRAS) is an ideal tumor neoantigen that is amenable for targeting by the adaptive immune system. Recent progress highlights key advances on various fronts that validate mKRAS as a molecular target and support further pursuit as an immunological target. Because mKRAS is an intracellular membrane localized protein and not normally expressed on the cell surface, we surmise that proteasome degradation will generate short peptides that bind to HLA class I (HLA-I) molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum for transport through the Golgi for display on the cell surface. T-cell receptors (TCR)αβ and antibodies have been isolated that specifically recognize mKRAS encoded epitope(s) or haptenated-mKRAS peptides in the context of HLA-I on tumor cells. Case reports using adoptive T-cell therapy provide proof of principle that KRAS G12D can be successfully targeted by the immune system in patients with cancer. Among the challenges facing investigators is the requirement of precision medicine to identify and match patients to available mKRAS peptide/HLA therapeutics and to increase the population coverage by targeting additional mKRAS epitopes. Ultimately, we envision mKRAS-directed immunotherapy as an effective treatment option for selected patients that will complement and perhaps synergize with small-molecule mKRAS inhibitors and targeted mKRAS degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald P. Linette
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Adham S. Bear
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Beatriz M. Carreno
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Rappaport AR, Kyi C, Lane M, Hart MG, Johnson ML, Henick BS, Liao CY, Mahipal A, Shergill A, Spira AI, Goldman JW, Scallan CD, Schenk D, Palmer CD, Davis MJ, Kounlavouth S, Kemp L, Yang A, Li YJ, Likes M, Shen A, Boucher GR, Egorova M, Veres RL, Espinosa JA, Jaroslavsky JR, Kraemer Tardif LD, Acrebuche L, Puccia C, Sousa L, Zhou R, Bae K, Hecht JR, Carbone DP, Johnson B, Allen A, Ferguson AR, Jooss K. A shared neoantigen vaccine combined with immune checkpoint blockade for advanced metastatic solid tumors: phase 1 trial interim results. Nat Med 2024; 30:1013-1022. [PMID: 38538867 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02851-9] [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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Therapeutic vaccines that elicit cytotoxic T cell responses targeting tumor-specific neoantigens hold promise for providing long-term clinical benefit to patients with cancer. Here we evaluated safety and tolerability of a therapeutic vaccine encoding 20 shared neoantigens derived from selected common oncogenic driver mutations as primary endpoints in an ongoing phase 1/2 study in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors. Secondary endpoints included immunogenicity, overall response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival. Eligible patients were selected if their tumors expressed one of the human leukocyte antigen-matched tumor mutations included in the vaccine, with the majority of patients (18/19) harboring a mutation in KRAS. The vaccine regimen, consisting of a chimp adenovirus (ChAd68) and self-amplifying mRNA (samRNA) in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitors ipilimumab and nivolumab, was shown to be well tolerated, with observed treatment-related adverse events consistent with acute inflammation expected with viral vector-based vaccines and immune checkpoint blockade, the majority grade 1/2. Two patients experienced grade 3/4 serious treatment-related adverse events that were also dose-limiting toxicities. The overall response rate was 0%, and median progression-free survival and overall survival were 1.9 months and 7.9 months, respectively. T cell responses were biased toward human leukocyte antigen-matched TP53 neoantigens encoded in the vaccine relative to KRAS neoantigens expressed by the patients' tumors, indicating a previously unknown hierarchy of neoantigen immunodominance that may impact the therapeutic efficacy of multiepitope shared neoantigen vaccines. These data led to the development of an optimized vaccine exclusively targeting KRAS-derived neoantigens that is being evaluated in a subset of patients in phase 2 of the clinical study. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03953235 .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chrisann Kyi
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Brian S Henick
- Columbia University Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chih-Yi Liao
- University of Chicago Medical Center and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Ardaman Shergill
- University of Chicago Medical Center and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - David P Carbone
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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4
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Pant S, Wainberg ZA, Weekes CD, Furqan M, Kasi PM, Devoe CE, Leal AD, Chung V, Basturk O, VanWyk H, Tavares AM, Seenappa LM, Perry JR, Kheoh T, McNeil LK, Welkowsky E, DeMuth PC, Haqq CM, O'Reilly EM. Lymph-node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: the phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial. Nat Med 2024; 30:531-542. [PMID: 38195752 PMCID: PMC10878978 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02760-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic and colorectal cancers are often KRAS mutated and are incurable when tumor DNA or protein persists or recurs after curative intent therapy. Cancer vaccine ELI-002 2P enhances lymph node delivery and immune response using amphiphile (Amph) modification of G12D and G12R mutant KRAS (mKRAS) peptides (Amph-Peptides-2P) together with CpG oligonucleotide adjuvant (Amph-CpG-7909). We treated 25 patients (20 pancreatic and five colorectal) who were positive for minimal residual mKRAS disease (ctDNA and/or serum tumor antigen) after locoregional treatment in a phase 1 study of fixed-dose Amph-Peptides-2P and ascending-dose Amph-CpG-7909; study enrollment is complete with patient follow-up ongoing. Primary endpoints included safety and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). The secondary endpoint was tumor biomarker response (longitudinal ctDNA or tumor antigen), with exploratory endpoints including immunogenicity and relapse-free survival (RFS). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed, and the RP2D was 10.0 mg of Amph-CpG-7909. Direct ex vivo mKRAS-specific T cell responses were observed in 21 of 25 patients (84%; 59% both CD4+ and CD8+); tumor biomarker responses were observed in 21 of 25 patients (84%); biomarker clearance was observed in six of 25 patients (24%; three pancreatic and three colorectal); and the median RFS was 16.33 months. Efficacy correlated with T cell responses above or below the median fold increase over baseline (12.75-fold): median tumor biomarker reduction was -76.0% versus -10.2% (P < 0.0014), and the median RFS was not reached versus 4.01 months (hazard ratio = 0.14; P = 0.0167). ELI-002 2P was safe and induced considerable T cell responses in patients with immunotherapy-recalcitrant KRAS-mutated tumors. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04853017 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubham Pant
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Zev A Wainberg
- University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Alexis D Leal
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Olca Basturk
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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5
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Cheng NC, Vonderheide RH. Immune vulnerabilities of mutant KRAS in pancreatic cancer. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:928-936. [PMID: 37524642 PMCID: PMC10592263 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The 40-year desire to target the mutant Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) gene (mKRAS) therapeutically is being realized with more and more broadly applicable and tumor-specific small-molecule inhibitors. Immunologically, mKRAS has equal desirability as a target. Tumor KRAS signaling plays a large role in shaping the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment, especially in pancreatic cancer, leaving mKRAS inhibitors with potentially powerful immune modulatory capabilities that could be exploited in immunological-oncological combinations. mKRAS is itself an immunological antigen, a 'shared neoepitope' linked to the oncogenic process, validated biochemically and immunologically. Novel approaches in the clinic are taking advantage of the fact that mKRAS peptides are naturally processed and presented in tumors by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah C Cheng
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Chattopadhyay S, Liao YP, Wang X, Nel AE. Use of Stromal Intervention and Exogenous Neoantigen Vaccination to Boost Pancreatic Cancer Chemo-Immunotherapy by Nanocarriers. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1205. [PMID: 37892935 PMCID: PMC10604647 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the formidable treatment challenges of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), considerable progress has been made in improving drug delivery via pioneering nanocarriers. These innovations are geared towards overcoming the obstacles presented by dysplastic stroma and fostering anti-PDAC immune reactions. We are currently conducting research aimed at enhancing chemotherapy to stimulate anti-tumor immunity by inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD). This is accomplished using lipid bilayer-coated nanocarriers, which enable the attainment of synergistic results. Noteworthy examples include liposomes and lipid-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles known as "silicasomes". These nanocarriers facilitate remote chemotherapy loading, as well as the seamless integration of immunomodulators into the lipid bilayer. In this communication, we elucidate innovative ways for further improving chemo-immunotherapy. The first is the development of a liposome platform engineered by the remote loading of irinotecan while incorporating a pro-resolving lipoxin in the lipid bilayer. This carrier interfered in stromal collagen deposition, as well as boosting the irinotecan-induced ICD response. The second approach was to synthesize polymer nanoparticles for the delivery of mutated KRAS peptides in conjunction with a TLR7/8 agonist. The dual delivery vaccine particle boosted the generation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cells that are recruited to lymphoid structures at the cancer site, with a view to strengthening the endogenous vaccination response achieved by chemo-immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saborni Chattopadhyay
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yu-Pei Liao
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xiang Wang
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - André E. Nel
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of NanoMedicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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7
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Wang Z, Yuan Q, Chen X, Luo F, Shi X, Guo F, Ren J, Li S, Shang D. A prospective prognostic signature for pancreatic adenocarcinoma based on ubiquitination-related mRNA-lncRNA with experimental validation in vitro and vivo. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:263. [PMID: 37540295 PMCID: PMC10403435 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01158-1] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitination-related genes (URGs) exerted a crucial part in a variety of human disease disorders; however, their association with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) had yet to be clearly described. We aimed to comprehensively characterize the contributions of URGs in PAAD through in silico analysis and experimental validation, and then identified a robust mRNA-lncRNA-based molecular prognostic panel for patients with PAAD using bulk RNA-sequencing and single-cell RNA-sequencing data. Initially, we collected the multi-omics data from TCGA platform to depict a comprehensive landscape of URGs in pan-cancer. Furthermore, we were accurate to PAAD for in-depth analysis. Significant differences of the activation of ubiquitination pathways and the expression of URGs were detected between normal and malignant cells. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering determined two PAAD subtypes with distinct clinical outcomes, ubiquitination pathway activities, immune microenvironment, and functional annotation characteristics. The expression profiles of ubiquitination-associated mRNAs and lncRNAs in the training and validation datasets were utilized to develop and verify a novel ubiquitination-related mRNA-lncRNA prognostic panel, which had a satisfied prediction efficiency. Our ubiquitination-associated model could function as an effective prognostic index and outperformed four other recognized panels in evaluating PAAD patients' survival status. Tumor immune microenvironment, mutation burden, and chemotherapy response were intensively explored to demonstrate the underlying mechanism of prognostic difference according to our panel. Our findings also revealed that FTI-277, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, had a better curative effect in high-risk patients, while MK-2206, an Akt allosteric inhibitor, had a superior therapeutic effect in low-risk patients. The real-time PCR results uncovered the RNA expression of AC005062.1 in all the three PAAD cell lines was elevated several thousandfold. In conclusion, our URGs-based classification panel could be triumphantly served as a prediction tool for survival evaluation in patients with PAAD, and the genes in this panel could be developed as a potential target in PAAD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhou Wang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Qihang Yuan
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Fei Luo
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xueying Shi
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Fangyue Guo
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
| | - Dong Shang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
- Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
- Institute (College) of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
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Alias NAR, Hoo WPY, Siak PY, Othman SS, Mohammed Alitheen NB, In LLA, Abdul Rahim R, Song AAL. Effect of Secretion Efficiency of Mutant KRAS Neoantigen by Lactococcus lactis on the Immune Response of a Mucosal Vaccine Delivery Vehicle Targeting Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8928. [PMID: 37240273 PMCID: PMC10219268 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108928] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is often caused by mutations in the KRAS oncogene, making KRAS neoantigens a promising vaccine candidate for immunotherapy. Secreting KRAS antigens using live Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) vaccine delivery hosts such as Lactococcus lactis is deemed to be an effective strategy in inducing specific desired responses. Recently, through the engineering of a novel signal peptide SPK1 from Pediococcus pentosaceus, an optimized secretion system was developed in the L. lactis NZ9000 host. In this study, the potential of the L. lactis NZ9000 as a vaccine delivery host for the production of two KRAS oncopeptides (mutant 68V-DT and wild-type KRAS) through the use of the signal peptide SPK1 and its mutated derivative (SPKM19) was investigated. The expression and secretion efficiency analyses of KRAS peptides from L. lactis were performed in vitro and in vivo in BALB/c mice. Contradictory to our previous study using the reporter staphylococcal nuclease (NUC), the yield of secreted KRAS antigens mediated by the target mutant signal peptide SPKM19 was significantly lower (by ~1.3-folds) compared to the wild-type SPK1. Consistently, a superior elevation of IgA response against KRAS aided by SPK1 rather than mutant SPKM19 was observed. Despite the lower specific IgA response for SPKM19, a positive IgA immune response from mice intestinal washes was successfully triggered following immunization. Size and secondary conformation of the mature proteins are suggested to be the contributing factors for these discrepancies. This study proves the potential of L. lactis NZ9000 as a host for oral vaccine delivery due to its ability to evoke the desired mucosal immune response in the gastrointestinal tract of mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Aqlili Riana Alias
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.A.R.A.); (S.S.O.); (N.B.M.A.); (R.A.R.)
| | - Winfrey Pui Yee Hoo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
| | - Pui Yan Siak
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UCSI University, Bandar Springhill, Port Dickson 71010, Malaysia;
| | - Siti Sarah Othman
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.A.R.A.); (S.S.O.); (N.B.M.A.); (R.A.R.)
- UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Noorjahan Banu Mohammed Alitheen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.A.R.A.); (S.S.O.); (N.B.M.A.); (R.A.R.)
- UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Lionel Lian Aun In
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University Kuala Lumpur, Cheras 56000, Malaysia;
| | - Raha Abdul Rahim
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; (N.A.R.A.); (S.S.O.); (N.B.M.A.); (R.A.R.)
- National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, Argo-Biotechnology Institute Malaysia Complex, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Adelene Ai-Lian Song
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
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Mohanty SK, Mishra SK, Amin MB, Agaimy A, Fuchs F. Role of Surgical Pathologist for the Detection of Immuno-oncologic Predictive Factors in Non-small Cell Lung Cancers. Adv Anat Pathol 2023; 30:174-194. [PMID: 37037418 DOI: 10.1097/pap.0000000000000395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Until very recently, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have been the mainstay of treatment in non-small cell carcinomas (NSCLCs). However, recent advances in molecular immunology have unveiled some of the complexity of the mechanisms regulating cellular immune responses and led to the successful targeting of immune checkpoints in attempts to enhance antitumor T-cell responses. Immune checkpoint molecules such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4, programmed cell death protein-1, and programmed death ligand (PD-L) 1 have been shown to play central roles in evading cancer immunity. Thus, these molecules have been targeted by inhibitors for the management of cancers forming the basis of immunotherapy. Advanced NSCLC has been the paradigm for the benefits of immunotherapy in any cancer. Treatment decisions are made based on the expression of PD-L1 on the tumor cells and the presence or absence of driver mutations. Patients with high PD-L1 expression (≥50%) and no driver mutations are treated with single-agent immunotherapy whereas, for all other patients with a lower level of PD-L1 expression, a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy is preferred. Thus, PD-L1 blockers are the only immunotherapeutic agents approved in advanced NSCLC without any oncogenic driver mutations. PD-L1 immunohistochemistry, however, may not be the best biomarker in view of its dynamic nature in time and space, and the benefits may be seen regardless of PD -L1 expression. Each immunotherapy molecule is prescribed based on the levels of PD-L1 expression as assessed by a Food and Drug Administration-approved companion diagnostic assay. Other biomarkers that have been studied include tumor mutational burden, the T-effector signature, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, radiomic assays, inflammation index, presence or absence of immune-related adverse events and specific driver mutations, and gut as well as local microbiome. At the current time, none of these biomarkers are routinely used in the clinical decision-making process for immunotherapy in NSCLC. However, in individual cases, they can be useful adjuncts to conventional therapy. This review describes our current understanding of the role of biomarkers as predictors of response to immune checkpoint molecules. To begin with a brief on cancer immunology in general and in NSCLC, in particular, is discussed. In the end, recent advancements in laboratory techniques for refining biomarker assays are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sambit K Mohanty
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Advanced Medical Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, India and CORE Diagnostics, Gurgaon, HR
| | - Sourav K Mishra
- Department of Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, DL, India
| | - Mahul B Amin
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Urology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Abbas Agaimy
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Florian Fuchs
- Department of Internal Medicine-1, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen University Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen, Germany
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10
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Jackson K, Samaddar S, Markiewicz MA, Bansal A. Vaccination-Based Immunoprevention of Colorectal Tumors: A Primer for the Clinician. J Clin Gastroenterol 2023; 57:246-252. [PMID: 36730670 PMCID: PMC9911105 DOI: 10.1097/mcg.0000000000001808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be a significant public health problem worldwide. CRC screening programs have reduced the incidence rates of CRCs but still suffer from the problems of missed lesions and interval cancers. Chemopreventive strategies against CRC would benefit high-risk populations but trials testing synthetic and naturally occurring compounds have not yielded a front runner. Immune mechanisms promoting cancer have been modulated to develop immunotherapy for cancer treatment that has revolutionized cancer management, but could also be applied to cancer interception, that is, cancer immunoprevention. Cancer immunoprevention refers to approaches that can enhance the immune system, either directly or by removing natural breaks such as immune checkpoints, to survey and destroy tumor cells. In this primer, we aim to explain the concepts behind vaccine-based cancer immunoprevention. Multiple cancer vaccines have been tried in advanced cancer populations, but most have failed primarily because of an immunosuppressive environment that accompanies advanced cancers. Preventive vaccines in immunocompetent hosts may have a better clinical response compared with therapeutic vaccines in immunosuppressed hosts. The first randomized controlled trial testing the mucin1 vaccine against CRC in the prevention setting has been successfully completed. For the benefit of the clinician, we briefly discuss important concepts related to the workings of preventive vaccines. Prevention with vaccines is a highly attractive approach because of the potential for highly targeted therapy with minimal side effects that could theoretically provide lifelong protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy Jackson
- Department of Medicine, The University of Kansas Health System
| | | | - Mary A. Markiewicz
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, The University of Kansas Medical Center
| | - Ajay Bansal
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- The University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS
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11
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Merhi M, Ahmad F, Taib N, Inchakalody V, Uddin S, Shablak A, Dermime S. The complex network of transcription factors, immune checkpoint inhibitors and stemness features in colorectal cancer: A recent update. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 89:1-17. [PMID: 36621515 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunity is regulated by several mechanisms that include co-stimulatory and/or co-inhibitory molecules known as immune checkpoints expressed by the immune cells. In colorectal cancer (CRC), CTLA-4, LAG3, TIM-3 and PD-1 are the major co-inhibitory checkpoints involved in tumor development and progression. On the other hand, the deregulation of transcription factors and cancer stem cells activity plays a major role in the development of drug resistance and in the spread of metastatic disease in CRC. In this review, we describe how the modulation of such transcription factors affects the response of CRC to therapies. We also focus on the role of cancer stem cells in tumor metastasis and chemoresistance and discuss both preclinical and clinical approaches for targeting stem cells to prevent their tumorigenic effect. Finally, we provide an update on the clinical applications of immune checkpoint inhibitors in CRC and discuss the regulatory effects of transcription factors on the expression of the immune inhibitory checkpoints with specific focus on the PD-1 and PD-L1 molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maysaloun Merhi
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Fareed Ahmad
- Translational Research Institute and Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nassiba Taib
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Varghese Inchakalody
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute and Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Alaaeldin Shablak
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Said Dermime
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
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12
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Martinov T, Greenberg PD. Targeting Driver Oncogenes and Other Public Neoantigens Using T Cell Receptor-Based Cellular Therapy. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY 2023; 7:331-351. [PMID: 37655310 PMCID: PMC10470615 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-061521-082114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
T cell reactivity to tumor-specific neoantigens can drive endogenous and therapeutically induced antitumor immunity. However, most tumor-specific neoantigens are unique to each patient (private) and targeting them requires personalized therapy. A smaller subset of neoantigens includes epitopes that span recurrent mutation hotspots, translocations, or gene fusions in oncogenic drivers and tumor suppressors, as well as epitopes that arise from viral oncogenic proteins. Such antigens are likely to be shared across patients (public), uniformly expressed within a tumor, and required for cancer cell survival and fitness. Although a limited number of these public neoantigens are naturally immunogenic, recent studies affirm their clinical utility. In this review, we highlight efforts to target mutant KRAS, mutant p53, and epitopes derived from oncogenic viruses using T cells engineered with off-the-shelf T cell receptors. We also discuss the challenges and strategies to achieving more effective T cell therapies, particularly in the context of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijana Martinov
- Program in Immunology and Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Philip D Greenberg
- Program in Immunology and Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Immunology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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13
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GOF Mutant p53 in Cancers: A Therapeutic Challenge. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14205091. [PMID: 36291874 PMCID: PMC9600758 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14205091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In normal cells, p53 is a protein which regulates the cell cycle progression to ensure normal cell division, growth, and development. However, in cancer, changes in the p53 DNA sequence, called genetic mutation, results in the protein either losing its normal function or exhibiting advanced pro-tumorigenic functions that lead to cancer. Importantly, cancers with mutations in the p53 protein often represent ones which are more aggressive and more resistant to chemotherapy. As a result, many studies have and continue to investigate multiple ways to target mutant p53-bearing cancer using targeted therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and combination therapies. Knowledge of these strategies is important in improving the overall therapeutic response of cancers with mutant p53. This review highlights new strategies and discusses the progression of such therapies. Abstract TP53 is mutated in the majority of human cancers. Mutations can lead to loss of p53 expression or expression of mutant versions of the p53 protein. These mutant p53 proteins have oncogenic potential. They can inhibit any remaining WTp53 in a dominant negative manner, or they can acquire new functions that promote tumour growth, invasion, metastasis and chemoresistance. In this review we explore some of the mechanisms that make mutant p53 cells resistant to chemotherapy. As mutant p53 tumours are resistant to many traditional chemotherapies, many have sought to explore new ways of targeting mutant p53 tumours and reinstate chemosensitivity. These approaches include targeting of mutant p53 stability, mutant p53 binding partners and downstream pathways, p53 vaccines, restoration of WTp53 function, and WTp53 gene delivery. The current advances and challenges of these strategies are discussed.
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14
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Spagnuolo A, Maione P, Gridelli C. The treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring KRAS mutation: a new class of drugs for an old target-a narrative review. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2022; 11:1199-1216. [PMID: 35832439 PMCID: PMC9271439 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-21-948] [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: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objective The genetic nature of cancer provides the rationale to support the need for molecular diagnosis and patient selection for individualised antineoplastic treatments that are the best in both tolerability and efficacy for each cancer patient, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations represent the prevalent oncogenic driver in NSCLC, being detected in roughly one-third of cases and KRAS G12C is the most frequent mutation found in approximately 13% of patients. Methods This paper gives an overview of the numerous scientific efforts in recent decades aimed at KRAS inhibition. Key Content and Findings Sotorasib is the first approved KRAS G12C inhibitor that has been shown to provide a durable clinical benefit in patients with pre-treated NSCLC with KRAS G12C mutation. Together with the development of new targeted drugs, the development of strategies to control resistance mechanisms is one of the major drivers of research that is exploring the use of KRAS inhibitors not only alone, but also in combination with other targeted therapies, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Conclusions This review will describe the major therapeutic developments in KRAS mutation-dependent NSCLC and will analyse future perspectives to maximise benefits for this group of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Spagnuolo
- Division of Medical Oncology, 'S. G. Moscati' Hospital, Avellino, Italy
| | - Paolo Maione
- Division of Medical Oncology, 'S. G. Moscati' Hospital, Avellino, Italy
| | - Cesare Gridelli
- Division of Medical Oncology, 'S. G. Moscati' Hospital, Avellino, Italy
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15
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Identification of shared neoantigens in esophageal carcinoma by the combination of comprehensive analysis of genomic data and in silico neoantigen prediction. Cell Immunol 2022; 377:104537. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2022.104537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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16
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Vonka V, Hirsch I. Prophylactic vaccines against cancers of non-infectious origin: a dream or a real possibility? Cent Eur J Public Health 2022; 29:247-258. [PMID: 35026062 DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The dramatic progress in tumour biology and immunology in the past several years has opened new avenues for the treatment and prevention of cancer. One of the great contributions of the immunotherapeutic approaches is an increasing understanding of the immunology of cancer, which is, gradually creating conditions for the development of prophylactic anti-cancer vaccines. Efficient vaccines have been developed and employed for the prophylaxis of two frequent cancers of viral origin, namely cervical cancer and liver cancer. The new knowledge on the interactions between the immune system and the malignant tumors seems to provide means for the development of prophylactic vaccines against cancers developing due to the mutations in the proto-oncogenes converting their products into oncoproteins. According to the present estimates, these cancers form a great majority of human malignancies. Recent evidence has indicated that the immune system recognizes such mutated proteins, and that the development of cancer is due to the failure of the immune system to eliminate neoplastic cells. Followingly, it can be expected that inducing immunity against the mutated epitopes will increase the capacity of the body to deal with the initiated precancerous cells. In the present paper this hypothesis is primarily discussed in the relationship with colorectal cancer (CRC), which seems to be a well-fitting candidate for prophylactic vaccination. CRC is the third most frequent malignancy and the fourth most common cause of cancer mortality. Mutations of two proto-oncogenes, namely RAS and RAF, are involved in the majority of CRC cases and, in addition, they are shared with other human malignancies. Therefore, the strategy to be used for prophylaxis of CRC is discussed together with several other frequent human cancers, namely lung cancer, pancreatic duct cancer and melanoma. The prophylactic vaccines proposed are aimed at the reduction of the incidence of these and, to a lesser extent, some other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimír Vonka
- Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Emeritus, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Hirsch
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.,Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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17
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Yamauchi T, Hoki T, Oba T, Kajihara R, Attwood K, Cao X, Ito F. CD40 and CD80/86 signaling in cDC1s mediate effective neoantigen vaccination and generation of antigen-specific CX3CR1 + CD8 + T cells. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 71:137-151. [PMID: 34037810 PMCID: PMC8715856 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-02969-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The use of tumor mutation-derived neoantigen represents a promising approach for cancer vaccines. Preclinical and early phase human clinical studies have shown the successful induction of tumor neoepitope-directed responses; however, overall clinical efficacy of neoantigen vaccines has been limited. One major obstacle of this strategy is the prevailing lack of sufficient understanding of the mechanism underlying the generation of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Here, we report a correlation between antitumor efficacy of neoantigen/toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3)/CD40 agonists vaccination and an increased frequency of circulating antigen-specific CD8+ T cells expressing CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) in a preclinical model. Mechanistic studies using mixed bone marrow chimeras identified that CD40 and CD80/86, but not CD70 signaling in Batf3-dependent conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) is required for the antitumor efficacy of neoantigen vaccine and generation of neoantigen-specific CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells. Although CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells exhibited robust in vitro effector function, in vivo depletion of this subset did not alter the antitumor efficacy of neoantigen/TLR3/CD40 agonists vaccination. These findings indicate that the vaccine-primed CX3CR1+ subset is dispensable for antitumor CD8+ T cell responses, but can be used as a blood-based T-cell biomarker for effective priming of CD8+ T cells as post-differentiated T cells. Taken together, our results reveal a critical role of CD40 and CD80/86 signaling in cDC1s in antitumor efficacy of neoantigen-based therapeutic vaccines, and implicate the potential utility of CX3CR1 as a circulating predictive T-cell biomarker in vaccine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi Yamauchi
- Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Toshifumi Hoki
- Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Takaaki Oba
- Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Ryutaro Kajihara
- Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kristopher Attwood
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Xuefang Cao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fumito Ito
- Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York At Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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18
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Wang C, Zainal NS, Chai SJ, Dickie J, Gan CP, Zulaziz N, Lye BKW, Sutavani RV, Ottensmeier CH, King EV, Abraham MT, Ismail SMB, Lau SH, Kallarakkal TG, Mun KS, Zain RB, Abdul Rahman ZA, Thomas GJ, Cheong SC, Savelyeva N, Lim KP. DNA Vaccines Targeting Novel Cancer-Associated Antigens Frequently Expressed in Head and Neck Cancer Enhance the Efficacy of Checkpoint Inhibitor. Front Immunol 2021; 12:763086. [PMID: 34733290 PMCID: PMC8559892 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.763086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
HPV-independent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common cancer globally. The overall response rate to anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) in HNSCC is ~16%. One major factor influencing the effectiveness of CPI is the level of tumor infiltrating T cells (TILs). Converting TILlow tumors to TILhigh tumors is thus critical to improve clinical outcome. Here we describe a novel DNA vaccines to facilitate the T-cell infiltration and control tumor growth. We evaluated the expression of target antigens and their respective immunogenicity in HNSCC patients. The efficacy of DNA vaccines targeting two novel antigens were evaluated with or without CPI using a syngeneic model. Most HNSCC patients (43/44) co-expressed MAGED4B and FJX1 and their respective tetramer-specific T cells were in the range of 0.06-0.12%. In a preclinical model, antigen-specific T cells were induced by DNA vaccines and increased T cell infiltration into the tumor, but not MDSC or regulatory T cells. The vaccines inhibited tumor growth and improved the outcome alone and upon combination with anti-PD1 and resulted in tumor clearance in approximately 75% of mice. Pre-existence of MAGED4B and FJX1-reactive T cells in HNSCC patients suggests that these widely expressed antigens are highly immunogenic and could be further expanded by vaccination. The DNA vaccines targeting these antigens induced robust T cell responses and with the anti-PD1 antibody conferring excellent tumor control. This opens up an opportunity for combination immunotherapy that might benefit a wider population of HNSCC patients in an antigen-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Wang
- Head and Neck Cancer Center, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Nur Syafinaz Zainal
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - San Jiun Chai
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - James Dickie
- Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Chai Phei Gan
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Natasha Zulaziz
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Bryan Kit Weng Lye
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ruhcha V Sutavani
- Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Christian H Ottensmeier
- Head and Neck Cancer Center, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Emma V King
- Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Mannil Thomas Abraham
- Ministry of Health Malaysia, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang, Malaysia
| | - Siti Mazlipah Binti Ismail
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shin Hin Lau
- Stomatology Unit, Cancer Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Thomas George Kallarakkal
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,Oral Cancer Research and Coordinating Centre, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kein Seong Mun
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rosnah Binti Zain
- Oral Cancer Research and Coordinating Centre, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,Faculty of Dentistry, Malaysian Allied Health Sciences Academy (MAHSA) University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zainal Ariff Abdul Rahman
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University Teknologi Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Gareth J Thomas
- Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sok Ching Cheong
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Natalia Savelyeva
- Head and Neck Cancer Center, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kue Peng Lim
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
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19
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Peri A, Greenstein E, Alon M, Pai JA, Dingjan T, Reich-Zeliger S, Barnea E, Barbolin C, Levy R, Arnedo-Pac C, Kalaora S, Dassa B, Feldmesser E, Shang P, Greenberg P, Levin Y, Benedek G, Levesque MP, Adams DJ, Lotem M, Wilmott JS, Scolyer RA, Jönsson GB, Admon A, Rosenberg SA, Cohen CJ, Niv MY, Lopez-Bigas N, Satpathy AT, Friedman N, Samuels Y. Combined presentation and immunogenicity analysis reveals a recurrent RAS.Q61K neoantigen in melanoma. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:129466. [PMID: 34651586 DOI: 10.1172/jci129466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoantigens are now recognized drivers of the antitumor immune response. Recurrent neoantigens, shared among groups of patients, have thus become increasingly coveted therapeutic targets. Here, we report on the data-driven identification of a robustly presented, immunogenic neoantigen that is derived from the combination of HLA-A*01:01 and RAS.Q61K. Analysis of large patient cohorts indicated that this combination applies to 3% of patients with melanoma. Using HLA peptidomics, we were able to demonstrate robust endogenous presentation of the neoantigen in 10 tumor samples. We detected specific reactivity to the mutated peptide within tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from 2 unrelated patients, thus confirming its natural immunogenicity. We further investigated the neoantigen-specific clones and their T cell receptors (TCRs) via a combination of TCR sequencing, TCR overexpression, functional assays, and single-cell transcriptomics. Our analysis revealed a diverse repertoire of neoantigen-specific clones with both intra- and interpatient TCR similarities. Moreover, 1 dominant clone proved to cross-react with the highly prevalent RAS.Q61R variant. Transcriptome analysis revealed a high association of TCR clones with specific T cell phenotypes in response to cognate melanoma, with neoantigen-specific cells showing an activated and dysfunctional phenotype. Identification of recurrent neoantigens and their reactive TCRs can promote "off-the-shelf" precision immunotherapies, alleviating limitations of personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erez Greenstein
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Joy A Pai
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Tamir Dingjan
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Eilon Barnea
- Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Ronen Levy
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and
| | - Claudia Arnedo-Pac
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Bareket Dassa
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ester Feldmesser
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ping Shang
- Melanoma Institute Australia and.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Yishai Levin
- The de Botton Institute for Protein Profiling, The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gil Benedek
- Tissue Typing and Immunogenetics Unit, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mitchell P Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David J Adams
- Experimental Cancer Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Lotem
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - James S Wilmott
- Melanoma Institute Australia and.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard A Scolyer
- Melanoma Institute Australia and.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Göran B Jönsson
- Lund University Cancer Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Arie Admon
- Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Steven A Rosenberg
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Cyrille J Cohen
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunotherapy, The Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Masha Y Niv
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Nuria Lopez-Bigas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ansuman T Satpathy
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Nir Friedman
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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20
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Reck M, Carbone DP, Garassino M, Barlesi F. Targeting KRAS in non-small-cell lung cancer: recent progress and new approaches. Ann Oncol 2021; 32:1101-1110. [PMID: 34089836 DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rat sarcoma (RAS) is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancer, with Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) being the most commonly mutated RAS isoform. Overall, KRAS accounts for 85% of RAS mutations observed in human cancers and is present in 35% of lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs). While the use of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) has drastically changed the treatment landscape of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years, historic attempts to target KRAS (both direct and indirect approaches) have had little success, and no KRAS-specific targeted therapies have been approved to date for patients in this molecular subset of NSCLC. With the discovery by Ostrem, Shokat, and colleagues of the switch II pocket on the surface of the active and inactive forms of KRAS, we now have an improved understanding of the complex interactions involved in the RAS family of signaling proteins which has led to the development of a number of promising direct KRASG12C inhibitors, such as sotorasib and adagrasib. In previously treated patients with KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC, clinical activity has been shown for both sotorasib and adagrasib monotherapy; these data suggest promising new treatment options are on the horizon. With the stage now set for a new era in the treatment of KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC, many questions remain to be answered in order to further elucidate the mechanisms of resistance, how best to use combination strategies, and if KRASG12C inhibitors will have suitable activity in earlier lines of therapy for patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Reck
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Lung Clinic Grosshansdorf, Airway Research Center North, German Center for Lung Research, Grosshansdorf, Germany.
| | - D P Carbone
- James Thoracic Oncology Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - M Garassino
- Department of Medicine, Section Hematology Oncology; The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - F Barlesi
- Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France; Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
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21
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DeLeo AB, Appella E. The p53 Saga: Early Steps in the Development of Tumor Immunotherapy. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 204:2321-2328. [PMID: 32312843 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1901343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the initial identification of p53 as a transformation-related Ag, which was the result of our effort to identify an antigenically distinct tumor Ag of a chemically induced mouse tumor and develop a cancer vaccine. Many researchers at the time viewed this effort as folly. Since then, its characterization has progressed from being an attractive cancer vaccine candidate to recognition as a key player in regulating critical pathways controlling the cell cycle and oncogenesis. Advances in molecular immunology and oncology have enhanced the role of p53 in both fields. It is now apparent that p53 plays a critical role in controlling immune recognition and responses in normal tissues as well as the tumor microenvironment. Together with the advances in clinical implementation of p53-based cancer immunotherapy, they highlight the importance of p53 in many areas of basic and translational cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert B DeLeo
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15232; and
| | - Ettore Appella
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814
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22
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Vacchelli E, Martins I, Eggermont A, Fridman WH, Galon J, Sautès-Fridman C, Tartour E, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. Trial watch: Peptide vaccines in cancer therapy. Oncoimmunology 2021; 1:1557-1576. [PMID: 23264902 PMCID: PMC3525611 DOI: 10.4161/onci.22428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prophylactic vaccination constitutes one of the most prominent medical achievements of history. This concept was first demonstrated by the pioneer work of Edward Jenner, dating back to the late 1790s, after which an array of preparations that confer life-long protective immunity against several infectious agents has been developed. The ensuing implementation of nation-wide vaccination programs has de facto abated the incidence of dreadful diseases including rabies, typhoid, cholera and many others. Among all, the most impressive result of vaccination campaigns is surely represented by the eradication of natural smallpox infection, which was definitively certified by the WHO in 1980. The idea of employing vaccines as anticancer interventions was first theorized in the 1890s by Paul Ehrlich and William Coley. However, it soon became clear that while vaccination could be efficiently employed as a preventive measure against infectious agents, anticancer vaccines would have to (1) operate as therapeutic, rather than preventive, interventions (at least in the vast majority of settings), and (2) circumvent the fact that tumor cells often fail to elicit immune responses. During the past 30 y, along with the recognition that the immune system is not irresponsive to tumors (as it was initially thought) and that malignant cells express tumor-associated antigens whereby they can be discriminated from normal cells, considerable efforts have been dedicated to the development of anticancer vaccines. Some of these approaches, encompassing cell-based, DNA-based and purified component-based preparations, have already been shown to exert conspicuous anticancer effects in cohorts of patients affected by both hematological and solid malignancies. In this Trial Watch, we will summarize the results of recent clinical trials that have evaluated/are evaluating purified peptides or full-length proteins as therapeutic interventions against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Vacchelli
- Institut Gustave Roussy; Villejuif, France ; Université Paris-Sud/Paris XI; Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France ; INSERM, U848; Villejuif, France
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23
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Lee KL, Schlom J, Hamilton DH. Combination therapies utilizing neoepitope-targeted vaccines. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2020; 70:875-885. [PMID: 33033852 PMCID: PMC7979579 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-020-02729-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Clinical successes have been achieved with checkpoint blockade therapy, which facilitates the function of T cells recognizing tumor-specific mutations known as neoepitopes. It is a reasonable hypothesis that therapeutic cancer vaccines targeting neoepitopes uniquely expressed by a patient’s tumor would prove to be an effective therapeutic strategy. With the advent of high-throughput next generation sequencing, it is now possible to rapidly identify these tumor-specific mutations and produce therapeutic vaccines targeting these patient-specific neoepitopes. However, initial reports suggest that when used as a monotherapy, neoepitope-targeted vaccines are not always sufficient to induce clinical responses in some patients. Therefore, research has now turned to investigating neoepitope vaccines in combination with other cancer therapies, both immune and non-immune, to improve their clinical efficacies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin L Lee
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Duane H Hamilton
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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24
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Hamada M, Yura Y. Efficient Delivery and Replication of Oncolytic Virus for Successful Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7073. [PMID: 32992948 PMCID: PMC7582277 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer has been treated by a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. In recent years, the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has made immunotherapy a new treatment method. Oncolytic virus (OV) therapy selectively infects tumor cells with a low-pathogenic virus, lyses tumor cells by the cytopathic effects of the virus, and induces anti-tumor immunity to destroy tumors by the action of immune cells. In OV therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), viruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), vaccinia virus, adenovirus, reovirus, measles virus, and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), are mainly used. As the combined use of mutant HSV-1 and ICI was successful for the treatment of melanoma, studies are underway to combine OV therapy with radiation, chemotherapy, and other types of immunotherapy. In such therapy, it is important for the virus to selectively replicate in tumor cells, and to express the viral gene and the introduced foreign gene in the tumor cells. In OV therapy for HNSCC, it may be useful to combine systemic and local treatments that improve the delivery and replication of the inoculated oncolytic virus in the tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakazu Hamada
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
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25
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Chasov V, Mirgayazova R, Zmievskaya E, Khadiullina R, Valiullina A, Stephenson Clarke J, Rizvanov A, Baud MGJ, Bulatov E. Key Players in the Mutant p53 Team: Small Molecules, Gene Editing, Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1460. [PMID: 32974171 PMCID: PMC7461930 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01460] [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] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor p53 is a key tumor suppressor that is inactivated in almost all cancers due to either point mutations in the TP53 gene or overexpression of its negative regulators. The p53 protein is known as the “cellular gatekeeper” for its roles in facilitating DNA repair, cell cycle arrest or apoptosis upon DNA damage. Most p53 mutations are missense and result in either structural destabilization of the protein, causing its partial unfolding and deactivation under physiological conditions, or impairment of its DNA-binding properties. Tumor cells with p53 mutations are generally more immunogenic due to “hot spot” neoantigens that instigate the immune system response. In this review, we discuss the key therapeutic strategies targeting mutant p53 tumors, including classical approaches based on small molecule intervention and emerging technologies such as gene editing and T cell immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Chasov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Regina Mirgayazova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Zmievskaya
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Raniya Khadiullina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Aygul Valiullina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | | | - Albert Rizvanov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Matthias G J Baud
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Emil Bulatov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.,Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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26
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Wan Y, Zhang Y, Wang G, Mwangi PM, Cai H, Li R. Recombinant KRAS G12D Protein Vaccines Elicit Significant Anti-Tumor Effects in Mouse CT26 Tumor Models. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1326. [PMID: 32903495 PMCID: PMC7435050 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug development targeting the most frequently mutation G12D of KRAS has great significance. As an attractive immunotherapy, cancer vaccines can overcome binding difficulties of small molecules; however, the weak immunogenicity and production difficulties of reported KRAS mutation vaccines limit their clinical application. To improve antigen-specific immune responses and Anti-Tumor effects on tumors expressing KRAS G12D mutation, we designed recombinant proteins containing KRAS peptide (amino acids 5–21) with G12D (called SP) in two forms: DTT-SP4 and DTSP. DTT-SP4 was constructed by fusing four copies of SP to the C-terminal of the translocation domain of diphtheria toxin (DTT), and DTSP was constructed by grafting SP onto DTT. The two vaccines in combination with aluminum hydroxide (Alum) and cytosine phosphoguanine (CpG) successfully induced conspicuous SP-specific humoral and cellular immune responses, and displayed prominent protective and therapeutic Anti-Tumor effects in mouse CT26 tumor models. Surprisingly, the DTSP-treated group displayed better Anti-Tumor effects in vivo compared with the DTT-SP4-treated and control groups. Moreover, 87.5 and 50% of DTSP-treated mice in the preventive and therapeutic models were tumor free, respectively. Notably, in the DTSP-treated group, the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) expression of T cells in vitro and the T-helper 1 (Th1)–related cytokine expression in tumor tissues indicated that the activated Th1 immune response may be involved in Anti-Tumor activity. Furthermore, DTSP treatment remarkably altered the subpopulation of T cells in splenocytes and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The percentage of effector CD8+ T cells increased, whereas that of immunosuppressive CD4+Foxp3+ T cells remained reduced in the DTSP group. Dramatic tumor-inhibitory effects of DTSP, which is easily prepared, make it a more attractive strategy against KRAS G12D tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gengchong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Patrick Malonza Mwangi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaman Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongxiu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai HyCharm Inc., Shanghai, China.,Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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27
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Li QH, Wang YZ, Tu J, Liu CW, Yuan YJ, Lin R, He WL, Cai SR, He YL, Ye JN. Anti-EGFR therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer: mechanisms and potential regimens of drug resistance. Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf) 2020; 8:179-191. [PMID: 32665850 PMCID: PMC7333932 DOI: 10.1093/gastro/goaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cetuximab and panitumumab, as the highly effective antibodies targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), have clinical activity in the patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). These agents have good curative efficacy, but drug resistance also exists at the same time. The effects of KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutations and HER2 amplification on the treatment of refractory mCRC have been elucidated and the corresponding countermeasures have been put forward. However, the changes in EGFR and its ligands, the mutations or amplifications of PIK3CA, PTEN, TP53, MET, HER3, IRS2, FGFR1, and MAP2K1, the overexpression of insulin growth factor-1, the low expression of Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death, mismatch repair-deficient, and epigenetic instability may also lead to drug resistance in mCRC. Although the emergence of drug resistance has genetic or epigenetic heterogeneity, most of these molecular changes relating to it are focused on the key signaling pathways, such as the RAS/RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of the rapamycin pathway. Accordingly, numerous efforts to target these signaling pathways and develop the novel therapeutic regimens have been carried out. Herein, we have reviewed the underlying mechanisms of the resistance to anti-EGFR therapy and the possible implications in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Hai Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Ying-Zhao Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Jian Tu
- Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Chu-Wei Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yu-Jie Yuan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Run Lin
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Ling He
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Shi-Rong Cai
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yu-Long He
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Jin-Ning Ye
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
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28
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Agupitan AD, Neeson P, Williams S, Howitt J, Haupt S, Haupt Y. P53: A Guardian of Immunity Becomes Its Saboteur through Mutation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3452. [PMID: 32414156 PMCID: PMC7278985 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Awareness of the importance of immunity in controlling cancer development triggered research into the impact of its key oncogenic drivers on the immune response, as well as their value as targets for immunotherapy. At the heart of tumour suppression is p53, which was discovered in the context of viral infection and now emerges as a significant player in normal and cancer immunity. Wild-type p53 (wt p53) plays fundamental roles in cancer immunity and inflammation. Mutations in p53 not only cripple wt p53 immune functions but also sinisterly subvert the immune function through its neomorphic gain-of-functions (GOFs). The prevalence of mutant p53 across different types of human cancers, which are associated with inflammatory and immune dysfunction, further implicates mutant p53 in modulating cancer immunity, thereby promoting tumorigenesis, metastasis and invasion. In this review, we discuss several mutant p53 immune GOFs in the context of the established roles of wt p53 in regulating and responding to tumour-associated inflammation, and regulating innate and adaptive immunity. We discuss the capacity of mutant p53 to alter the tumour milieu to support immune dysfunction, modulate toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling pathways to disrupt innate immunity and subvert cell-mediated immunity in favour of immune privilege and survival. Furthermore, we expose the potential and challenges associated with mutant p53 as a cancer immunotherapy target and underscore existing therapies that may benefit from inquiry into cancer p53 status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjelle Decasa Agupitan
- Tumour Suppression Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia; (A.D.A.); (S.H.)
| | - Paul Neeson
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia;
- Cancer Immunology Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia
| | - Scott Williams
- Division of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Imaging, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia;
| | - Jason Howitt
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University, Melbourne 3122, Victoria, Australia;
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sue Haupt
- Tumour Suppression Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia; (A.D.A.); (S.H.)
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia;
| | - Ygal Haupt
- Tumour Suppression Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia; (A.D.A.); (S.H.)
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia;
- Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Victoria, Australia
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29
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Jacqueline C, Finn OJ. Antibodies specific for disease-associated antigens (DAA) expressed in non-malignant diseases reveal potential new tumor-associated antigens (TAA) for immunotherapy or immunoprevention. Semin Immunol 2020; 47:101394. [PMID: 32273212 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2020.101394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Immune responses to a large number of mutated and non-mutated tumor antigens have been studied in an attempt to unravel the highly complex immune response to cancer. Better understanding of both the effectors and the targets of successful immunosurveillance can inform various immunotherapeutic approaches, which can strengthen or replace natural immunosurveillance that a tumor has managed to escape. In this review we highlight targets of antibodies generated in the context of diseases other than cancer, such as asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders, inflammation and infections, where the antibody presence correlates either with an increased or a reduced lifetime risk of cancer. We focus on their target antigens, self-molecules abnormally expressed on diseased cells or cross-reactive with exogenous antigens and found on cancer cells as tumor associated antigens (TAA). We refer to them as disease-associated antigens (DAA). We review 4 distinct categories of antibodies according to their target DAA, their origin and their reported impact on cancer risk: natural antibodies, autoantibodies, long-term memory antibodies and allergy-associated antibodies. Increased understanding and focus on their specific targets could enable a more rational choice of antigens for both therapeutic and preventative cancer vaccines and other more effective and less toxic cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Jacqueline
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Olivera J Finn
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
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30
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Zhang Y, Ma JA, Zhang HX, Jiang YN, Luo WH. Cancer vaccines: Targeting KRAS-driven cancers. Expert Rev Vaccines 2020; 19:163-173. [PMID: 32174221 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2020.1733420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Mutant KRAS is a genetic driver of multiple cancers that has challenged clinical anti-cancer therapeutics in the last 3 decades. Neo-antigens encoded by KRAS mutations have been identified as tumor-specific with high immunogenicity and can be used to deliver precision cancer vaccines to promote anti-tumor immune responses. KRAS mutation-based cancer vaccines have produced encouraging preclinical and clinical results. Cancer vaccines represent a promising approach to treat KRAS-driven cancers.Areas covered: In this review, we summarize the development and progress of vaccines targeting KRAS and evaluate their potential benefits and obstacles in the current landscape of therapy for KRAS-driven cancers.Expert opinion: KRAS mutation-based cancer vaccines can induce immunogenicity in patients with KRAS-driven cancers. However, the mechanisms of tumor suppression including cellular and molecular factors within the tumor microenvironment may limit vaccine efficacy. Combining KRAS-driven therapeutic cancer vaccines with other methods and adjuvants can circumvent immunosuppression and promote therapeutic successes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jin-An Ma
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hai-Xia Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu-Na Jiang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wen-Hao Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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31
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Malekzadeh P, Yossef R, Cafri G, Paria BC, Lowery FJ, Jafferji M, Good ML, Sachs A, Copeland AR, Kim SP, Kivitz S, Parkhurst MR, Robbins PF, Ray S, Xi L, Raffeld M, Yu Z, Restifo NP, Somerville RPT, Rosenberg SA, Deniger DC. Antigen Experienced T Cells from Peripheral Blood Recognize p53 Neoantigens. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:1267-1276. [PMID: 31996390 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-1874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate antigen experienced T cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) for responses to p53 neoantigens. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN PBLs from patients with a mutated TP53 tumor were sorted for antigen-experienced T cells and in vitro stimulation (IVS) was performed with p53 neoantigens. The IVS cultures were stimulated with antigen-presenting cells expressing p53 neoantigens, enriched for 41BB/OX40 and grown with rapid expansion protocol. RESULTS T-cell responses were not observed in the PBLs of 4 patients who did not have tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) responses to mutated TP53. In contrast, 5 patients with TIL responses to mutated TP53 also had similar T-cell responses in their PBLs, indicating that the PBLs and TILs were congruent in p53 neoantigen reactivity. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were specific for p53R175H, p53Y220C, or p53R248W neoantigens, including a 78% reactive T-cell culture against p53R175H and HLA-A*02:01. Tracking TCRB clonotypes (clonality, top ranked, and TP53 mutation-specific) supported the enrichment of p53 neoantigen-reactive T cells from PBLs. The same T-cell receptor (TCR) from the TIL was found in the IVS cultures in three cases and multiple unique TCRs were found in another patient. TP53 mutation-specific T cells also recognized tumor cell lines bearing the appropriate human leukocyte antigen restriction element and TP53 mutation, indicating these T cells could recognize processed and presented p53 neoantigens. CONCLUSIONS PBL was a noninvasive source of T cells targeting TP53 mutations for cell therapy and can provide a window into intratumoral p53 neoantigen immune responses.See related commentary by Olivera et al., p. 1203.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rami Yossef
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gal Cafri
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Biman C Paria
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Frank J Lowery
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Meghan L Good
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Abraham Sachs
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Amy R Copeland
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sanghyun P Kim
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Scott Kivitz
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Paul F Robbins
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Satyajit Ray
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Liqiang Xi
- Hematopathology Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mark Raffeld
- Hematopathology Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zhiya Yu
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | | | | | - Drew C Deniger
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
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32
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Kreidieh M, Mukherji D, Temraz S, Shamseddine A. Expanding the Scope of Immunotherapy in Colorectal Cancer: Current Clinical Approaches and Future Directions. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:9037217. [PMID: 32090113 PMCID: PMC7008242 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9037217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in an increasing range of heavily mutated tumor types such as melanoma has culminated in their exploration in different subsets of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). As a result of their dramatic and durable response rates in patients with chemorefractory, mismatch repair-deficient-microsatellite instability-high (dMMR-MSI-H) mCRC, ICIs have become potential alternatives to classical systemic therapies. The anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) agents, Pembrolizumab and Nivolumab, have been granted FDA approval for this subset of patients. Unfortunately, however, not all CRC cases with the dMMR-MSI-H phenotype respond well to ICIs, and ongoing studies are currently exploring biomarkers that can predict good response to them. Another challenge lies in developing novel treatment strategies for the subset of patients with the mismatch repair-proficient-microsatellite instability-low (pMMR-MSI-L) phenotype that comprises 95% of all mCRC cases in whom treatment with currently approved ICIs has been largely unsuccessful. Approaches aiming at overcoming the resistance of tumors in this subset of patients are being developed including combining different checkpoint inhibitors with either chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic agents, cancer vaccines, adoptive cell transfer (ACT), or bispecific T-cell (BTC) antibodies. This review describes the rationale behind using immunotherapeutics in CRC. It sheds light on the progress made in the use of immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with dMMR-MSI-H CRC. It also discusses emerging approaches and proposes potential strategies for targeting the immune microenvironment in patients with pMMR-MSI-L CRC tumors in an attempt to complement immune checkpoint inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malek Kreidieh
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Deborah Mukherji
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sally Temraz
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ali Shamseddine
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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Qin H, Sheng J, Zhang D, Zhang X, Liu L, Li B, Li G, Zhang Z. New Strategies for Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2019; 19:213-221. [PMID: 30411693 DOI: 10.2174/1871520618666181109151835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with low response rates to cancer vaccines, short duration of anti-tumor response after vaccination, and relatively weak curative effects are problems that have not been resolved effectively during the development and application of cancer vaccines. With the continuous improvement of knowledge and awareness regarding the immune system and cancer cells, many researches have helped to explain the reasons for poor vaccine efficacy. Input from researchers accompanied by some newly emerged strategies could bring hope to improve the therapeutic effects of vaccines. METHODS Data were collected from Web of Science, Medline, Pubmed, through searching of these keywords: "cancer vaccine", "cancer stem cell", "targeted agent", "immune checkpoint blockade" and "neoantigen". RESULTS It may be more effective in immunotherapy of human cancers, including cancer stem cell vaccines, combination vaccines with targeted agents or immune checkpoint blockade, and neoantigen-based vaccines. CONCLUSION Personalized vaccines will become the mainstream solution of cancer treatment program with the continuous improvement of human understanding of the immune system and the progress of related experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanjiao Qin
- Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Jiyao Sheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Xuewen Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Linlin Liu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Bingjin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Guangquan Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 13033, China
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Savelyeva N, Allen A, Chotprakaikiat W, Harden E, Jobsri J, Godeseth R, Wang Y, Stevenson F, Ottensmeier C. Linked CD4 T Cell Help: Broadening Immune Attack Against Cancer by Vaccination. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 405:123-143. [PMID: 27704269 DOI: 10.1007/82_2016_500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies targeting immunological check points has become a breakthrough therapeutic modality for solid cancers. However, only up to 50 % of patients benefit from this powerful approach. For others vaccination might provide a plausible addition or alternative. For induction of effective anticancer immunity CD4+ T cell help is required, which is often difficult to induce to self cancer targets because of tolerogenic mechanisms. Our approach for cancer vaccines has been to incorporate into the vaccine design sequences able to activate foreign T cell help, through genetically linking cancer targets to microbial sequences (King et al. in Nat Med 4(11):1281-1286, 1998; Savelyeva et al. in Nat Biotechnol 19(8):760-764, 2001). This harnesses the non-tolerized CD4 T cell repertoire available in patients to help induction of effective immunity against fused cancer antigens. Multiple immune effector mechanisms including antibody, CD8+ T cells as well as CD4 effector T cells can be activated using this strategy. Delivery via DNA vaccines has already indicated clinical efficacy. The same principle of linked T cell help has now been transferred to other novel vaccine modalities to further potentiate immunity against cancer targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Savelyeva
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Alex Allen
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Warayut Chotprakaikiat
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Elena Harden
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Jantipa Jobsri
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Rosemary Godeseth
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Yidao Wang
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Freda Stevenson
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Christian Ottensmeier
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
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Abstract
With the spotlight on cancer immunotherapy and the expanding use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, strategies to improve the response rate and duration of current cancer immunotherapeutics are highly sought. In that sense, investigators around the globe have been putting spurs on the development of effective cancer vaccines in humans after decades of efforts that led to limited clinical success. In more than three decades of research in pursuit of targeted and personalized immunotherapy, several platforms have been incorporated into the list of cancer vaccines from live viral or bacterial agents harboring antigens to synthetic peptides with the hope of stronger and durable immune responses that will tackle cancers better. Unlike adoptive cell therapy, cancer vaccines can take advantage of using a patient's entire immune system that can include more than engineered receptors or ligands in developing antigen-specific responses. Advances in molecular technology also secured the use of genetically modified genes or proteins of interest to enhance the chance of stronger immune responses. The formulation of vaccines to increase chances of immune recognition such as nanoparticles for peptide delivery is another area of great interest. Studies indicate that cancer vaccines alone may elicit tumor-specific cellular or humoral responses in immunologic assays and even regression or shrinkage of the cancer in select trials, but novel strategies, especially in combination with other cancer therapies, are under study and are likely to be critical to achieve and optimize reliable objective responses and survival benefit. In this review, cancer vaccine platforms with different approaches to deliver tumor antigens and boost immunity are discussed with the intention of summarizing what we know and what we need to improve in the clinical trial setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoyoung M. Maeng
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jay A. Berzofsky
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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36
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Canning M, Guo G, Yu M, Myint C, Groves MW, Byrd JK, Cui Y. Heterogeneity of the Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Immune Landscape and Its Impact on Immunotherapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:52. [PMID: 31024913 PMCID: PMC6465325 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are highly aggressive, multi-factorial tumors in the upper aerodigestive tract affecting more than half a million patients worldwide each year. Alcohol, tobacco, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection are well known causative factors for HNSCCs. Current treatment options for HNSCCs are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or combinatorial remedies. Over the past decade, despite the marked improvement in clinical outcome of many tumor types, the overall 5-year survival rate of HNSCCs remained ∼40–50% largely due to poor availability of effective therapeutic options for HNSCC patients with recurrent disease. Therefore, there is an urgent and unmet need for the identification of specific molecular signatures that better predict the clinical outcomes and markers that serve as better therapeutic targets. With recent technological advances in genomic and epigenetic analyses, our knowledge of HNSCC molecular characteristics and classification has been greatly enriched. Clinical and genomic meta-analysis of multicohort HNSCC gene expression profile has clearly demonstrated that HPV+ and HPV- HNSCCs are not only derived from tissues of different anatomical regions, but also present with different mutation profiles, molecular characteristics, immune landscapes, and clinical prognosis. Here, we briefly review our current understanding of the biology, molecular profile, and immunological landscape of the HPV+ and HPV- HNSCCs with an emphasis on the diversity and heterogeneity of HNSCC clinicopathology and therapeutic responses. After a review of recent advances and specific challenges for effective immunotherapy of HNSCCs, we then conclude with a discussion on the need to further enhance our understanding of the unique characteristics of HNSCC heterogeneity and the plasticity of immune landscape. Increased knowledge regarding the immunological characteristics of HPV+ and HPV- HNSCCs would improve therapeutic targeting and immunotherapy strategies for different subtypes of HNSCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Canning
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Gang Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgia Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Miao Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgia Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Calvin Myint
- Department of Otolaryngology, Georgia Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Michael W Groves
- Department of Otolaryngology, Georgia Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - James Kenneth Byrd
- Department of Otolaryngology, Georgia Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Yan Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgia Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
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37
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Malekzadeh P, Pasetto A, Robbins PF, Parkhurst MR, Paria BC, Jia L, Gartner JJ, Hill V, Yu Z, Restifo NP, Sachs A, Tran E, Lo W, Somerville RP, Rosenberg SA, Deniger DC. Neoantigen screening identifies broad TP53 mutant immunogenicity in patients with epithelial cancers. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:1109-1114. [PMID: 30714987 DOI: 10.1172/jci123791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Paul F Robbins
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Biman C Paria
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Li Jia
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jared J Gartner
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Hill
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhiya Yu
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Abraham Sachs
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric Tran
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Winifred Lo
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Drew C Deniger
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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38
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Cafri G, Yossef R, Pasetto A, Deniger DC, Lu YC, Parkhurst M, Gartner JJ, Jia L, Ray S, Ngo LT, Jafferji M, Sachs A, Prickett T, Robbins PF, Rosenberg SA. Memory T cells targeting oncogenic mutations detected in peripheral blood of epithelial cancer patients. Nat Commun 2019; 10:449. [PMID: 30683863 PMCID: PMC6347629 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08304-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells targeting shared oncogenic mutations can induce durable tumor regression in epithelial cancer patients. Such T cells can be detected in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, but whether such cells can be detected in the peripheral blood of patients with the common metastatic epithelial cancer patients is unknown. Using a highly sensitive in vitro stimulation and cell enrichment of peripheral memory T cells from six metastatic cancer patients, we identified and isolated CD4+, and CD8+ memory T cells targeting the mutated KRASG12D and KRASG12V variants, respectively, in three patients. In an additional two metastatic colon cancer patients, we detected CD8+ neoantigen-specific cells targeting the mutated SMAD5 and MUC4 proteins. Therefore, memory T cells targeting unique as well as shared somatic mutations can be detected in the peripheral blood of epithelial cancer patients and can potentially be used for the development of effective personalized T cell-based cancer immunotherapy across multiple patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Cafri
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Rami Yossef
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Anna Pasetto
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Drew C Deniger
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yong-Chen Lu
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Maria Parkhurst
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jared J Gartner
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Li Jia
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Satyajit Ray
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Lien T Ngo
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Mohammad Jafferji
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Abraham Sachs
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Todd Prickett
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Paul F Robbins
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Steven A Rosenberg
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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39
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Overman MJ, Ernstoff MS, Morse MA. Where We Stand With Immunotherapy in Colorectal Cancer: Deficient Mismatch Repair, Proficient Mismatch Repair, and Toxicity Management. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2018; 38:239-247. [PMID: 30231358 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_200821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
With the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals of pembrolizumab and nivolumab for refractory deficient mismatch repair metastatic colorectal cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitors have now entered into clinical care for gastrointestinal cancers. Extensive ongoing efforts are exploring additional combinations of therapy in both deficient and proficient mismatch repair colorectal cancer. This review will outline the current status of such efforts and discuss the critical aspects of recognition and management of immune-related toxicities from checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Overman
- From the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Roswell Park Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Marc S Ernstoff
- From the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Roswell Park Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Michael A Morse
- From the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Roswell Park Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
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40
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Wang HC, Hung WC, Chen LT, Pan MR. From Friend to Enemy: Dissecting the Functional Alteration of Immunoregulatory Components during Pancreatic Tumorigenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3584. [PMID: 30428588 PMCID: PMC6274888 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 8%. More than 80% of patients are diagnosed at an unresectable stage due to metastases or local extension. Immune system reactivation in patients by immunotherapy may eliminate tumor cells and is a new strategy for cancer treatment. The anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab and anti-PD-1 antibodies pembrolizumab and nivolumab have been approved for cancer therapy in different countries. However, the results of immunotherapy on PDAC are unsatisfactory. The low response rate may be due to poor immunogenicity with low tumor mutational burden in pancreatic cancer cells and desmoplasia that prevents the accumulation of immune cells in tumors. The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in PDAC is important in tumor progression and treatment resistance. Switching from an immune tolerance to immune activation status is crucial to overcome the inability of self-defense in cancer. Therefore, thoroughly elucidation of the roles of various immune-related factors, tumor microenvironment, and tumor cells in the development of PDAC may provide appropriate direction to target inflammatory pathway activation as a new therapeutic strategy for preventing and treating this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Ching Wang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Chun Hung
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
| | - Li-Tzong Chen
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
| | - Mei-Ren Pan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
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41
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Finn OJ, Rammensee HG. Is It Possible to Develop Cancer Vaccines to Neoantigens, What Are the Major Challenges, and How Can These Be Overcome? Neoantigens: Nothing New in Spite of the Name. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2018; 10:cshperspect.a028829. [PMID: 29254980 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a028829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The term "neoantigen," as applied to molecules newly expressed on tumor cells, has a long history. The groundbreaking discovery of a cancer causing virus in chickens by Rous over 100 years ago, followed by discoveries of other tumor-causing viruses in animals, suggested a viral etiology of human cancers. The search for other oncogenic viruses in the 1960s and 1970s resulted in the discoveries of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human papilloma virus (HPV), and continues until the present time. Contemporaneously, the budding field of immunology was posing the question can the immune system of animals or humans recognize a tumor that develops from one's own tissues and what types of antigens would distinguish the tumor from normal cells. Molecules encoded by oncogenic viruses provided the most logical candidates and evidence was quickly gathered for both humoral and cellular recognition of viral antigens, referred to as neoantigens. Often, however, serologic responses to virus-bearing tumors revealed neoantigens unrelated to viral proteins and expressed on multiple tumor types, foreshadowing later findings of multiple changes in other genes in tumor cells creating nonviral neoantigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivera J Finn
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
| | - Hans-Georg Rammensee
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen; and German Cancer Consortium, DKFZ Partner Site, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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42
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Quandt J, Schlude C, Bartoschek M, Will R, Cid-Arregui A, Schölch S, Reissfelder C, Weitz J, Schneider M, Wiemann S, Momburg F, Beckhove P. Long-peptide vaccination with driver gene mutations in p53 and Kras induces cancer mutation-specific effector as well as regulatory T cell responses. Oncoimmunology 2018; 7:e1500671. [PMID: 30524892 PMCID: PMC6279329 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2018.1500671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutated proteins arising from somatic mutations in tumors are promising targets for cancer immunotherapy. They represent true tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) as they are exclusively expressed in tumors, reduce the risk of autoimmunity and are more likely to overcome tolerance compared to wild-type (wt) sequences. Hence, we designed a panel of long peptides (LPs, 28–35 aa) comprising driver gene mutations in TP35 and KRAS frequently found in gastrointestinal tumors to test their combined immunotherapeutic potential. We found increased numbers of T cells responsive against respective mutated and wt peptides in colorectal cancer patients that carry the tested mutations in their tumors than patients with other mutations. Further, active immunization of HLA(-A2/DR1)-humanized mice with mixes of the same mutated LPs yielded simultaneous, polyvalent CD8+/CD4+ T cell responses against the majority of peptides. Peptide-specific T cells possessed a multifunctional cytokine profile with CD4+ T cells showing a TH1-like phenotype. Two mutated peptides (Kras[G12V], p53[R248W]) induced significantly higher T cell responses than corresponding wt sequences and comprised HLA-A2/DR1-restricted mutated epitopes. However, vaccination with the same highly immunogenic LPs strongly increased systemic regulatory T cells (Treg) numbers in a syngeneic sarcoma model over-expressing these mutated protein variants and resulted in accelerated tumor outgrowth. In contrast, tumor outgrowth was delayed when vaccination was directed against tumor-intrinsic Kras/Tp53 mutations of lower immunogenicity. Conclusively, we show that LP vaccination targeting multiple mutated TSAs elicits polyvalent, multifunctional, and mutation-specific effector T cells capable of targeting tumors. However, the success of this therapeutic approach can be hampered by vaccination-induced, TSA-specific Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Quandt
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Knapp Research Center, Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christoph Schlude
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Bartoschek
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rainer Will
- Genomics and Proteomics Core Facility, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angel Cid-Arregui
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Targeted Tumor Vaccines Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schölch
- Department of Visceral Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Surgery, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christoph Reissfelder
- Department of Visceral Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Surgery, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jürgen Weitz
- Department of Visceral, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery, Medizinische Fakultaet an der TU-Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Schneider
- Department of Visceral Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Wiemann
- Genomics and Proteomics Core Facility, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Division Molecular Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Momburg
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Antigen Presentation and T/NK Cell Activation Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Beckhove
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.,Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), University Regensburg and Department of Hematology-Oncology, Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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43
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Paijens ST, Leffers N, Daemen T, Helfrich W, Boezen HM, Cohlen BJ, Melief CJM, de Bruyn M, Nijman HW. Antigen-specific active immunotherapy for ovarian cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018; 9:CD007287. [PMID: 30199097 PMCID: PMC6513204 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd007287.pub4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This is the second update of the review first published in the Cochrane Library (2010, Issue 2) and later updated (2014, Issue 9).Despite advances in chemotherapy, the prognosis of ovarian cancer remains poor. Antigen-specific active immunotherapy aims to induce tumour antigen-specific anti-tumour immune responses as an alternative treatment for ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVES Primary objective• To assess the clinical efficacy of antigen-specific active immunotherapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer as evaluated by tumour response measured by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) and/or cancer antigen (CA)-125 levels, response to post-immunotherapy treatment, and survival differences◦ In addition, we recorded the numbers of observed antigen-specific humoral and cellular responsesSecondary objective• To establish which combinations of immunotherapeutic strategies with tumour antigens provide the best immunological and clinical results SEARCH METHODS: For the previous version of this review, we performed a systematic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2009, Issue 3), in the Cochrane Library, the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE and Embase databases, and clinicaltrials.gov (1966 to July 2009). We also conducted handsearches of the proceedings of relevant annual meetings (1996 to July 2009).For the first update of this review, we extended the searches to October 2013, and for this update, we extended the searches to July 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), as well as non-randomised studies (NRSs), that included participants with epithelial ovarian cancer, irrespective of disease stage, who were treated with antigen-specific active immunotherapy, irrespective of type of vaccine, antigen used, adjuvant used, route of vaccination, treatment schedule, and reported clinical or immunological outcomes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviews authors independently extracted the data. We evaluated the risk of bias for RCTs according to standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane, and for NRSs by using a selection of quality domains deemed best applicable to the NRS. MAIN RESULTS We included 67 studies (representing 3632 women with epithelial ovarian cancer). The most striking observations of this review address the lack of uniformity in conduct and reporting of early-phase immunotherapy studies. Response definitions show substantial variation between trials, which makes comparison of trial results unreliable. Information on adverse events is frequently limited. Furthermore, reports of both RCTs and NRSs frequently lack the relevant information necessary for risk of bias assessment. Therefore, we cannot rule out serious biases in most of the included trials. However, selection, attrition, and selective reporting biases are likely to have affected the studies included in this review. GRADE ratings were high only for survival; for other primary outcomes, GRADE ratings were very low.The largest body of evidence is currently available for CA-125-targeted antibody therapy (17 studies, 2347 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Non-randomised studies of CA-125-targeted antibody therapy suggest improved survival among humoral and/or cellular responders, with only moderate adverse events. However, four large randomised placebo-controlled trials did not show any clinical benefit, despite induction of immune responses in approximately 60% of participants. Time to relapse with CA-125 monoclonal antibody versus placebo, respectively, ranged from 10.3 to 18.9 months versus 10.3 to 13 months (six RCTs, 1882 participants; high-certainty evidence). Only one RCT provided data on overall survival, reporting rates of 80% in both treatment and placebo groups (three RCTs, 1062 participants; high-certainty evidence). Other small studies targeting many different tumour antigens have presented promising immunological results. As these strategies have not yet been tested in RCTs, no reliable inferences about clinical efficacy can be made. Given the promising immunological results and the limited side effects and toxicity reported, exploration of clinical efficacy in large well-designed RCTs may be worthwhile. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We conclude that despite promising immunological responses, no clinically effective antigen-specific active immunotherapy is yet available for ovarian cancer. Results should be interpreted cautiously, as review authors found a significant dearth of relevant information for assessment of risk of bias in both RCTs and NRSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterre T Paijens
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)Obstetrics & GynaecologyGroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
| | - Ninke Leffers
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)Obstetrics & GynaecologyGroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
| | - Toos Daemen
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)GroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
| | - Wijnand Helfrich
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)Department of Surgery. Translational Surgical OncologyGroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
| | - H Marike Boezen
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)Unit Chronic Airway Diseases, Department of EpidemiologyGroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
| | - Ben J Cohlen
- Isala Clinics, Location SophiaDepartment of Obstetrics & GynaecologyDr van Heesweg 2P O Box 10400ZwolleNetherlands3515 BE
| | - Cornelis JM Melief
- Leiden University Medical CenterDepartment of Immunohaematology and Blood TransfusionPO Box 9600E3‐QLeidenNetherlands2300 RC
| | - Marco de Bruyn
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)Obstetrics & GynaecologyGroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
| | - Hans W Nijman
- University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)GroningenNetherlands9713 GZ
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Tran T, Blanc C, Granier C, Saldmann A, Tanchot C, Tartour E. Therapeutic cancer vaccine: building the future from lessons of the past. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:69-85. [PMID: 29978248 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0691-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Anti-cancer vaccines have raised many hopes from the start of immunotherapy but have not yet been clinically successful. The few positive results of anti-cancer vaccines have been observed in clinical situations of low tumor burden or preneoplastic lesions. Several new concepts and new results reposition this therapeutic approach in the field of immunotherapy. Indeed, cancers that respond to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 (20-30%) are those that are infiltrated by anti-tumor T cells with an inflammatory infiltrate. However, 70% of cancers do not appear to have an anti-tumor immune reaction in the tumor microenvironment. To induce this anti-tumor immunity, therapeutic combinations between vaccines and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 are being evaluated. In addition, the identification of neoepitopes against which the immune system is less tolerated is giving rise to a new enthusiasm by the first clinical results of the vaccine including these neoepitopes in humans. The ability of anti-cancer vaccines to induce a population of anti-tumor T cells called memory resident T cells that play an important role in immunosurveillance is also a new criterion to consider in the design of therapeutic vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Tran
- INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - C Blanc
- INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - C Granier
- INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - A Saldmann
- INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - C Tanchot
- INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Eric Tartour
- INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France.
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
- Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Laboratory of Immunology, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Paris, France.
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Palladini A, Landuzzi L, Lollini PL, Nanni P. Cancer immunoprevention: from mice to early clinical trials. BMC Immunol 2018; 19:16. [PMID: 29902992 PMCID: PMC6003025 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-018-0253-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunoprevention is based on the fact that a functioning immune system controls tumor onset and development in humans and animals, thus leading to the idea that the enhancement of immune responses in healthy individuals could effectively reduce cancer risk later in life. Successful primary immunoprevention of tumors caused by hepatitis B and papilloma viruses is already implemented at the population level with specific vaccines. The immunoprevention of human tumors unrelated to infectious agents is an outstanding challenge. Proof-of-principle preclinical studies in genetically-modified or in carcinogen-exposed mice clearly demonstrated that vaccines and other immunological treatments induce host immune responses that effectively control tumor onset and progression, eventually resulting in cancer prevention. While a straightforward translation to healthy humans is currently unfeasible, a number of pioneering clinical trials showed that cancer immunoprevention can be effectively implemented in human cohorts affected by specific cancer risks, such as preneoplastic/early neoplastic lesions. Future developments will see the implementation of cancer immunoprevention in a wider range of conditions at risk of tumor development, such as the exposure to known carcinogens and genetic predispositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Palladini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Viale Filopanti 22, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lorena Landuzzi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pier-Luigi Lollini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Viale Filopanti 22, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Patrizia Nanni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Viale Filopanti 22, 40126, Bologna, Italy
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Wang C, Dickie J, Sutavani RV, Pointer C, Thomas GJ, Savelyeva N. Targeting Head and Neck Cancer by Vaccination. Front Immunol 2018; 9:830. [PMID: 29740440 PMCID: PMC5924779 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a heterogeneous group of squamous cell cancers that affect the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Worldwide, it is the sixth most common cancer but in parts of Southern and South-East Asia, HNC is one of the most common cancers. A significant proportion of HNC is driven by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, whereas HPV-independent HNC is associated with alcohol, smoking, and smokeless tobacco consumption. Here, we review the past and present experience of targeting HNC with vaccination focusing on HPV-derived antigens as well as non-viral antigens for HPV-negative HNC. Novel therapeutic approaches for HNC will focus not only on effective vaccine platforms but will also target the stroma-rich immunosuppressive microenvironment found in those tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Natalia Savelyeva
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Maeng H, Terabe M, Berzofsky JA. Cancer vaccines: translation from mice to human clinical trials. Curr Opin Immunol 2018; 51:111-122. [PMID: 29554495 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic cancer vaccines have been a long-sought approach to harness the exquisite specificity of the immune system to treat cancer, but until recently have not had much success as single agents in clinical trials. However, new understanding of the immunoregulatory mechanisms exploited by cancers has allowed the development of approaches to potentiate the effect of vaccines by removing the brakes while the vaccines step on the accelerator. Thus, vaccines that had induced a strong T cell response but no clinical therapeutic effect may now reach their full potential. Here, we review a number of promising approaches to cancer vaccines developed initially in mouse models and their translation into clinical trials, along with combinations of vaccines with other therapies that might allow cancer vaccines to finally achieve clinical efficacy against many types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoyoung Maeng
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, United States
| | - Masaki Terabe
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, United States
| | - Jay A Berzofsky
- Vaccine Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, United States.
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Fletcher R, Wang YJ, Schoen RE, Finn OJ, Yu J, Zhang L. Colorectal cancer prevention: Immune modulation taking the stage. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1869:138-148. [PMID: 29391185 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prevention or early detection is one of the most promising strategies against colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer death in the US. Recent studies indicate that antitumor immunity plays a key role in CRC prevention. Accumulating evidence suggests that immunosurveillance represents a critical barrier that emerging tumor cells have to overcome in order to sustain the course of tumor development. Virtually all of the agents with cancer preventive activity have been shown to have an immune modulating effect. A number of immunoprevention studies aimed at triggering antitumor immune response against early lesions have been performed, some of which have shown promising results. Furthermore, the recent success of immune checkpoint blockade therapy reinforces the notion that cancers including CRC can be effectively intervened via immune modulation including immune normalization, and has stimulated various immune-based combination prevention studies. This review summarizes recent advances to help better harness the immune system in CRC prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle Fletcher
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Yi-Jun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Robert E Schoen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Olivera J Finn
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jian Yu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Immune Evasion in Pancreatic Cancer: From Mechanisms to Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10010006. [PMID: 29301364 PMCID: PMC5789356 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), the most frequent type of pancreatic cancer, remains one of the most challenging problems for the biomedical and clinical fields, with abysmal survival rates and poor therapy efficiency. Desmoplasia, which is abundant in PDA, can be blamed for much of the mechanisms behind poor drug performance, as it is the main source of the cytokines and chemokines that orchestrate rapid and silent tumor progression to allow tumor cells to be isolated into an extensive fibrotic reaction, which results in inefficient drug delivery. However, since immunotherapy was proclaimed as the breakthrough of the year in 2013, the focus on the stroma of pancreatic cancer has interestingly moved from activated fibroblasts to the immune compartment, trying to understand the immunosuppressive factors that play a part in the strong immune evasion that characterizes PDA. The PDA microenvironment is highly immunosuppressive and is basically composed of T regulatory cells (Tregs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs), which block CD8⁺ T-cell duties in tumor recognition and clearance. Interestingly, preclinical data have highlighted the importance of this immune evasion as the source of resistance to single checkpoint immunotherapies and cancer vaccines and point at pathways that inhibit the immune attack as a key to solve the therapy puzzle. Here, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in PDA immune escape as well as the state of the art of the PDA immunotherapy.
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Abstract
An important role of the immune system is in the surveillance for abnormal or transformed cells, which is known as cancer immunosurveillance. Through this process, the first changes to normal tissue homeostasis caused by infectious or other inflammatory insults can be detected by the immune system through the recognition of antigenic molecules (including tumour antigens) expressed by abnormal cells. However, as they develop, tumour cells can acquire antigenic and other changes that allow them to escape elimination by the immune system. To bias this process towards elimination, immunosurveillance can be improved by the administration of vaccines based on tumour antigens. Therapeutic cancer vaccines have been extensively tested in patients with advanced cancer but have had little clinical success, which has been attributed to the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment. Thus, the administration of preventive vaccines at pre-malignant stages of the disease holds promise, as they function before tumour-associated immune suppression is established. Accordingly, immunological and clinical studies are yielding impressive results.
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