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Ma S, Huis in't Veld RV, Hao Y, Gu Z, Rich C, Gelmi MC, Mulder AA, van Veelen PA, Vu TKH, van Hall T, Ossendorp FA, Jager MJ. Tumor Pigmentation Does Not Affect Light-Activated Belzupacap Sarotalocan Treatment but Influences Macrophage Polarization in a Murine Melanoma Model. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:42. [PMID: 38271187 PMCID: PMC10829805 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.1.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Pigmentation in uveal melanoma is associated with increased malignancy and is known as a barrier for photodynamic therapy. We investigated the role of pigmentation in tumor behavior and the response to light-activated Belzupacap sarotalocan (Bel-sar) treatment in a pigmented (wild type) and nonpigmented (tyrosinase knock-out [TYR knock-out]) cell line in vitro and in a murine model. Methods The B16F10 (TYR knock-out) was developed using CRISPR/Cas9. After the treatment with light-activated Bel-sar, cytotoxicity and exposure of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) were measured by flow cytometry. Treated tumor cells were co-cultured with bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and dendritic cells (DCs) to assess phagocytosis and activation. Both cell lines were injected subcutaneously in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Results Knock-out of the tyrosinase gene in B16F10 led to loss of pigmentation and immature melanosomes. Pigmented tumors contained more M1 and fewer M2 macrophages compared with amelanotic tumors. Bel-sar treatment induced near complete cell death, accompanied with enhanced exposure of DAMPs in both cell lines, resulting in enhanced phagocytosis of BMDMs and maturation of DCs. Bel-sar treatment induced a shift to M1 macrophages and delayed tumor growth in both in vivo tumor models. Following treatment, especially the pigmented tumors and their draining lymph nodes contained IFN-gamma positive CD8+T cells. Conclusions Pigmentation influenced the type of infiltrating macrophages in the tumor, with more M1 macrophages in pigmented tumors. Belzupacap sarotalocan treatment induced immunogenic cell death and tumor growth delay in pigmented as well as in nonpigmented models and stimulated M1 macrophage influx in both models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben V. Huis in't Veld
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yang Hao
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Animals, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zili Gu
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cadmus Rich
- Aura Biosciences, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Maria Chiara Gelmi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Aat A. Mulder
- Department of Electron Microscopy, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A. van Veelen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - T. Khanh H. Vu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thorbald van Hall
- Department of Medical Oncology, Oncology Institute, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ferry A. Ossendorp
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martine J. Jager
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
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Synthetic Melanin Acts as Efficient Peptide Carrier in Cancer Vaccine Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314975. [PMID: 36499300 PMCID: PMC9738778 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that a novel peptide vaccine platform, based on synthetic melanin nanoaggregates, triggers strong cytotoxic immune responses and significantly suppresses tumor growth in mice. However, the mechanisms underlying such an efficacy remained poorly described. Herein, we investigated the role of dendritic cells (DCs) in presenting the antigen embedded in the vaccine formulation, as well as the potential stimulatory effect of melanin upon these cells, in vitro by coculture experiments and ELISA/flow cytometry analysis. The vaccine efficiency was evaluated in FLT3-L-/- mice constitutively deficient in DC1, DC2, and pDCs, in Zbtb46DTR chimera mice deficient in DC1 and DC2, and in LangerinDTR mice deficient in dermal DC1 and Langerhans cells. We concluded that DCs, and especially migratory conventional type 1 dendritic cells, seem crucial for mounting the immune response after melanin-based vaccination. We also assessed the protective effect of L-DOPA melanin on peptides from enzymatic digestion, as well as the biodistribution of melanin-peptide nanoaggregates, after subcutaneous injection using [18F]MEL050 PET imaging in mice. L-DOPA melanin proved to act as an efficient carrier for peptides by fully protecting them from enzymatic degradation. L-DOPA melanin did not display any direct stimulatory effects on dendritic cells in vitro. Using PET imaging, we detected melanin-peptide nanoaggregates up to three weeks after subcutaneous injections within the secondary lymphoid tissues, which could explain the sustained immune response observed (up to 4 months) with this vaccine technology.
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Marcovici I, Coricovac D, Pinzaru I, Macasoi IG, Popescu R, Chioibas R, Zupko I, Dehelean CA. Melanin and Melanin-Functionalized Nanoparticles as Promising Tools in Cancer Research-A Review. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1838. [PMID: 35406610 PMCID: PMC8998143 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer poses an ongoing global challenge, despite the substantial progress made in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. The existing therapeutic methods remain limited by undesirable outcomes such as systemic toxicity and lack of specificity or long-term efficacy, although innovative alternatives are being continuously investigated. By offering a means for the targeted delivery of therapeutics, nanotechnology (NT) has emerged as a state-of-the-art solution for augmenting the efficiency of currently available cancer therapies while combating their drawbacks. Melanin, a polymeric pigment of natural origin that is widely spread among many living organisms, became a promising candidate for NT-based cancer treatment owing to its unique physicochemical properties (e.g., high biocompatibility, redox behavior, light absorption, chelating ability) and innate antioxidant, photoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. The latest research on melanin and melanin-like nanoparticles has extended considerably on many fronts, allowing not only efficient cancer treatments via both traditional and modern methods, but also early disease detection and diagnosis. The current paper provides an updated insight into the applicability of melanin in cancer therapy as antitumor agent, molecular target, and delivery nanoplatform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iasmina Marcovici
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (D.C.); (I.G.M.); (C.A.D.)
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Dorina Coricovac
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (D.C.); (I.G.M.); (C.A.D.)
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Iulia Pinzaru
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (D.C.); (I.G.M.); (C.A.D.)
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ioana Gabriela Macasoi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (D.C.); (I.G.M.); (C.A.D.)
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Roxana Popescu
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (R.P.); (R.C.)
- Research Center ANAPATMOL, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Raul Chioibas
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (R.P.); (R.C.)
| | - Istvan Zupko
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Eötvös u. 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Cristina Adriana Dehelean
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (D.C.); (I.G.M.); (C.A.D.)
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
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Cuzzubbo S, Carpentier AF. Applications of Melanin and Melanin-Like Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy: A Review of Recent Advances. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1463. [PMID: 33806772 PMCID: PMC8004930 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Thanks to the growing knowledge about cancers and their interactions with the immune system, a huge number of therapeutic cancer vaccines have been developed in the past two decades. Despite encouraging results in pre-clinical models, cancer vaccines have not yet achieved significant clinical efficacy. Several factors may contribute to such poor results, including the difficulty of triggering a strong immune response and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Many strategies are currently being explored. Different types of adjuvants have been incorporated into vaccine formulations to improve their efficacy, as cancer antigens are usually poorly immunogenic. Nanoparticle systems are promising tools as they act as carriers for antigens and can be surface-modified so that they specifically target antigen-presenting cells in lymph nodes. Bioinspired nanomaterials are ideal candidates thanks to their biocompatibility. Recently, melanin-based nanoparticles were reported to efficiently localize into draining lymphoid tissues and trigger immune responses against loaded antigens. In addition, by virtue of their photochemical properties, melanin-based nanoparticles can also play an immunomodulatory role to promote anti-cancer responses in the context of photothermal therapy. In this review, we discuss the above-mentioned properties of melanin, and summarize the promising results of the melanin-based cancer vaccines recently reported in preclinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Cuzzubbo
- Université de Paris, PARCC, INSERM U970, 75015 Paris, France;
- Laboratoire de Recherches Biochirurgicales (Fondation Carpentier), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Antoine F. Carpentier
- Université de Paris, Paris Diderot, 75010 Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Saint-Louis, Service de Neurologie, 1, Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France
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Cuzzubbo S, Mangsbo S, Nagarajan D, Habra K, Pockley AG, McArdle SEB. Cancer Vaccines: Adjuvant Potency, Importance of Age, Lifestyle, and Treatments. Front Immunol 2021; 11:615240. [PMID: 33679703 PMCID: PMC7927599 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.615240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the discovery and characterization of multiple tumor antigens have sparked the development of many antigen/derived cancer vaccines, many are poorly immunogenic and thus, lack clinical efficacy. Adjuvants are therefore incorporated into vaccine formulations to trigger strong and long-lasting immune responses. Adjuvants have generally been classified into two categories: those that ‘depot’ antigens (e.g. mineral salts such as aluminum hydroxide, emulsions, liposomes) and those that act as immunostimulants (Toll Like Receptor agonists, saponins, cytokines). In addition, several novel technologies using vector-based delivery of antigens have been used. Unfortunately, the immune system declines with age, a phenomenon known as immunosenescence, and this is characterized by functional changes in both innate and adaptive cellular immunity systems as well as in lymph node architecture. While many of the immune functions decline over time, others paradoxically increase. Indeed, aging is known to be associated with a low level of chronic inflammation—inflamm-aging. Given that the median age of cancer diagnosis is 66 years and that immunotherapeutic interventions such as cancer vaccines are currently given in combination with or after other forms of treatments which themselves have immune-modulating potential such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the choice of adjuvants requires careful consideration in order to achieve the maximum immune response in a compromised environment. In addition, more clinical trials need to be performed to carefully assess how less conventional form of immune adjuvants, such as exercise, diet and psychological care which have all be shown to influence immune responses can be incorporated to improve the efficacy of cancer vaccines. In this review, adjuvants will be discussed with respect to the above-mentioned important elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Cuzzubbo
- Université de Paris, PARCC, INSERM U970, 75015, Paris, France.,Laboratoire de Recherches Biochirurgicales (Fondation Carpentier), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
| | - Sara Mangsbo
- Ultimovacs AB, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Divya Nagarajan
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Clinical pathology Rudbeck laboratories, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kinana Habra
- The School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Graham Pockley
- The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Centre for Health, Ageing and Understanding Disease (CHAUD), School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie E B McArdle
- The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom.,Centre for Health, Ageing and Understanding Disease (CHAUD), School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Cuzzubbo S, Banissi C, Rouchon MS, Tran T, Tanchot C, Tartour E, Carpentier AF. The adjuvant effect of melanin is superior to incomplete Freund's adjuvant in subunit/peptide vaccines in mice. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2020; 69:2501-2512. [PMID: 32561966 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-020-02631-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Peptide vaccines represent an attractive alternative to conventional anti-tumor therapies, but have not yet achieved significant clinical efficacy with commonly used formulations. Combination of short antigenic peptides, synthetic melanin and TLR9 agonist (Toll-like receptor 9, CpG-28) was reported as highly efficient to trigger strong CD8 + T-cell responses. We compared this vaccine approach to the standard adjuvant formulation that combines the incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) and CpG-28, using either an ovalbumin epitope (pOVA30) or a spontaneously occurring tumor neoepitope (mAdpgk).Melanin-based vaccine induced significantly higher cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) responses than IFA-based vaccine in both pOVA30- and mAdpgk-targeted vaccines. The anti-tumor efficacy of melanin-based vaccine was further assessed in mice, grafted either with E.G7-OVA cells (E.G7 cells transfected with ovalbumin) or with MC38 cells that spontaneously express the mAdpgk neoepitope. Melanin-based vaccine induced a major inhibition of E.G7-OVA tumor growth when compared to IFA-based vaccine (p < 0.001), but tumors eventually relapsed from day 24. In the MC38 tumor model, no significant inhibition of tumor growth was observed. In both cases, tumor escape appeared related to the loss of antigen presentation by tumor cells (loss of ovalbumin expression in E.G7-OVA model; poor presentation of mAdpgk in MC38 model), although the CTL responses displayed an effector memory phenotype, a high cytolytic potential and low programmed cell death-1 (PD1) expression.In conclusion, synthetic melanin can be efficiently used as an adjuvant to enhance T-cells response against subunit vaccine antigens and compared favorably to the classic combination of IFA and TLR9 agonist in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Cuzzubbo
- PARCC, INSERM, UMR-970, Université de Paris, 56 rue Leblanc, 75015, Paris, France.
| | - Claire Banissi
- Laboratoire de Recherches Biochirurgicales (Fondation Carpentier), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marie Sophie Rouchon
- Laboratoire de Recherches Biochirurgicales (Fondation Carpentier), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Thi Tran
- PARCC, INSERM, UMR-970, Université de Paris, 56 rue Leblanc, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Corinne Tanchot
- PARCC, INSERM, UMR-970, Université de Paris, 56 rue Leblanc, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Eric Tartour
- PARCC, INSERM, UMR-970, Université de Paris, 56 rue Leblanc, 75015, Paris, France.,Service d'Immunologie Biologique, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Antoine F Carpentier
- PARCC, INSERM, UMR-970, Université de Paris, 56 rue Leblanc, 75015, Paris, France.,Laboratoire de Recherches Biochirurgicales (Fondation Carpentier), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, 75015, Paris, France.,Service de Neurologie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75010, Paris, France
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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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