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Garaci E, Paci M, Matteucci C, Costantini C, Puccetti P, Romani L. Phenotypic drug discovery: a case for thymosin alpha-1. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1388959. [PMID: 38903817 PMCID: PMC11187271 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1388959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic drug discovery (PDD) involves screening compounds for their effects on cells, tissues, or whole organisms without necessarily understanding the underlying molecular targets. PDD differs from target-based strategies as it does not require knowledge of a specific drug target or its role in the disease. This approach can lead to the discovery of drugs with unexpected therapeutic effects or applications and allows for the identification of drugs based on their functional effects, rather than through a predefined target-based approach. Ultimately, disease definitions are mostly symptom-based rather than mechanism-based, and the therapeutics should be likewise. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in PDD due to its potential to address the complexity of human diseases, including the holistic picture of multiple metabolites engaging with multiple targets constituting the central hub of the metabolic host-microbe interactions. Although PDD presents challenges such as hit validation and target deconvolution, significant achievements have been reached in the era of big data. This article explores the experiences of researchers testing the effect of a thymic peptide hormone, thymosin alpha-1, in preclinical and clinical settings and discuss how its therapeutic utility in the precision medicine era can be accommodated within the PDD framework.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maurizio Paci
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Costantini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Puccetti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- San Raffaele Sulmona, L’Aquila, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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2
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Liu Y, Lu J. Mechanism and clinical application of thymosin in the treatment of lung cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1237978. [PMID: 37701432 PMCID: PMC10493777 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1237978] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The burden of cancer on public health is becoming more widely acknowledged. Lung cancer has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates of all cancers. The prevalence of early screening, the emergence of targeted therapy, and the development of immunotherapy have all significantly improved the overall prognosis of lung cancer patients. The current state of affairs, however, is not encouraging, and there are issues like poor treatment outcomes for some patients and extremely poor prognoses for those with advanced lung cancer. Because of their potent immunomodulatory capabilities, thymosin drugs are frequently used in the treatment of tumors. The effectiveness of thymosin drugs in the treatment of lung cancer has been demonstrated in numerous studies, which amply demonstrates the potential and future of thymosin drugs for the treatment of lung cancer. The clinical research on thymosin peptide drugs in lung cancer and the basic research on the mechanism of thymosin drugs in anti-lung cancer are both systematically summarized and analyzed in this paper, along with future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jibin Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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3
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Wang S, Huang M, Chen M, Sun Z, Jiao Y, Ye G, Pan J, Ye W, Zhao J, Zhang D. Zoledronic acid and thymosin α1 elicit antitumor immunity against prostate cancer by enhancing tumor inflammation and cytotoxic T cells. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e006381. [PMID: 37295817 PMCID: PMC10277537 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advanced or metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) is still an incurable malignancy with high lethality and a poor prognosis. Despite the remarkable success of immunotherapy against many types of cancer, most patients with PCa receive minimal benefit from current immunotherapeutic strategies, because PCa is an immune cold tumor with scarce T-cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was to develop an effective immunotherapeutic approach for immune cold PCa tumors. METHODS The therapeutic efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and zoledronic acid (ZA) plus thymosin α1 (Tα1) therapy was analyzed retrospectively in patients with advanced or metastatic PCa. The effects and mechanisms by which ZA and Tα1 regulated the immune functions of PCa cells and immune cells were evaluated by a PCa allograft mouse model, flow cytometric analysis, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining assays, and PCR, ELISA, and Western blot analyses. RESULTS In this study, clinical retrospective analysis revealed that ADT combined with ZA plus Tα1 improved the therapeutic outcomes of patients with PCa, which might be associated with an enhanced frequency of T cells. ZA and Tα1 treatment synergistically inhibited the growth of androgen-independent PCa allograft tumors, with increased infiltration of tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and enhanced tumor inflammation. Functionally, ZA and Tα1 treatment relieved immunosuppression in PCa cells, stimulated pro-inflammatory macrophages, and enhanced the cytotoxic function of T cells. Mechanistically, ZA plus Tα1 therapy blocked the MyD88/NF-κB pathway in PCa cells but activated this signaling in macrophages and T cells, altering the tumor immune landscape to suppress PCa progression. CONCLUSIONS These findings uncover a previously undefined role for ZA and Tα1 in inhibiting the disease progression of immune cold PCa tumors by enhancing antitumor immunity and pave the way for the application of ZA plus Tα1 therapy as an immunotherapeutic strategy for treating patients with immunologically unresponsive PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Wang
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Maohua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Minfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiting Sun
- Research Center of Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yubo Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Geni Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinghua Pan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wencai Ye
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianfu Zhao
- Research Center of Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy, Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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4
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Matteucci C, Nepravishta R, Argaw-Denboba A, Mandaliti W, Giovinazzo A, Petrone V, Balestrieri E, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Pica F, Paci M, Garaci E. Thymosin α1 interacts with Galectin-1 modulating the β-galactosides affinity and inducing alteration in the biological activity. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 118:110113. [PMID: 37028279 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110113] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
The study of mechanism of action of Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) and the basis of the pleiotropic effect in health and disease, is one of the main focus of our ongoing research. Tα1 is a thymic peptide that demonstrates a peculiar ability to restore homeostasis in different physiological and pathological conditions (i.e., infections, cancer, immunodeficiency, vaccination, and aging) acting as multitasking protein depending on the host state of inflammation or immune dysfunction. However, few are the information about mechanisms of action mediated by specific Tα1-target protein interaction that could explain its pleiotropic effect. We investigated the interaction of Tα1 with Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a protein belonging to an oligosaccharide binding protein family involved in a variety of biological and pathological processes, including immunoregulation, infections, cancer progression and aggressiveness. Using molecular and cellular methodological approaches, we demonstrated the interaction between these two proteins. Tα1 specifically inhibited the hemagglutination activity of Gal-1, the Gal-1 dependent in vitro formation of endothelial cell tubular structures, and the migration of cancer cells in wound healing assay. Physico-chemical methods revealed the details of the molecular interaction of Tα1 with Gal-1. Hence, the study allowed the identification of the not known until now specific interaction between Tα1 and Gal-1, and unraveled a novel mechanism of action of Tα1 that could support understanding of its pleiotropic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Ridvan Nepravishta
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Ayele Argaw-Denboba
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy; European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL, Monterotondo, Rome 00015, Italy
| | - Walter Mandaliti
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giovinazzo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy; Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC-CNR, Monterotondo, Rome 00015, Italy
| | - Vita Petrone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy; Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Francesca Pica
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Maurizio Paci
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Enrico Garaci
- IRCCS San Raffaele and IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome 00163, Italy; Medical and Experimental BioImaging Center, MEBIC Consortium, Rome 00166, Italy
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Li L, Zhao C, Kong F, Li YC, Wang C, Chen S, Tan HY, Liu Y, Wang D. Calf Thymus Polypeptide Restrains the Growth of Colorectal Tumor via Regulating the Intestinal Microbiota-Mediated Immune Function. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:898906. [PMID: 35662701 PMCID: PMC9160181 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.898906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Calf thymus polypeptide (CTP), with a molecular mass of <10 kDa, is prepared from the thymus of less than 30-day-old newborn cattle. In the present study, the inhibitory function of CTP in colorectal cancer (CRC) was investigated in B6/JGpt-Apcem1Cin(MinC)/Gpt (ApcMin/+) mice. CTP hampered tumor development and enhanced the ratio of CD3e−NK1.1+ cells by 113.0% and CD3e+CD28+ cells by 84.7% in the peripheral blood of ApcMin/+ mice. CTP improved the richness, diversity, and evenness of the intestinal microbiota of ApcMin/+ mice, particularly by regulating the abundance of immune-related microorganisms. CTP effectively regulated the expression of immune-related cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2 (15.19% increment), IL-12 (17.47% increment), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β (11.19% reduction). Additionally, it enhanced the levels of CD4 and CD8, as well as the ratio of helper T lymphocytes (Th)1/Th2 in the spleen and tumors of ApcMin/+ mice. In CTP-treated mice, reduced levels of programmed death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4), activated nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFAT1), and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 signaling were noted. Collectively, the anti-CRC effect of CTP is related to the modulation of intestinal microbiota-mediated immune function, which provides a reference for CTP as a therapeutic drug or a combination drug used in CRC treatment in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanzhou Li
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Chenfei Zhao
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Fange Kong
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Cong Li
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Chunxia Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hor-Yue Tan
- Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Di Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Chen JF, Chen SR, Lei ZY, Cao HJ, Zhang SQ, Weng WZ, Xiong J, Lin DN, Zhang J, Zheng YB, Gao ZL, Lin BL. Safety and efficacy of Thymosin α1 in the treatment of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure: a randomized controlled trial. Hepatol Int 2022; 16:775-788. [PMID: 35616850 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-022-10335-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Mortality from hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is high. Severe infection is the most important complication that affects the outcomes of ACLF patients. Thymosin α1 (Tα1) can improve immune imbalance and this study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of Tα1 treatment for HBV-related ACLF. METHODS From 2017 to 2019, 120 patients with HBV-related ACLF were enrolled in this open-label, randomized, and controlled clinical trial (ClinicalTrial ID: NCT03082885). The control group (N = 58) was treated with standard medical therapy (SMT) only. The experimental group (N = 56) was subcutaneously injected with 1.6 mg of Tα1 once a day for the first week and then twice a week from week 2 to week 12. RESULTS The 90-day cumulated liver transplantation free survival rate of the Tα1 group was 75.0% (95% confidence interval 63.2-86.8%) versus 53.4% (95% confidence interval 39.7-67.1%) for the SMT group (p = 0.030). No significant difference was found in the survival using competitive risk analysis. The incidences of new infection and hepatic encephalopathy in the Tα1 group were much lower than those in the SMT group (32.1% vs 58.6%, p = 0.005; 8.9% vs 24.1%, p = 0.029, respectively). Mortality from severe infection in the SMT group was higher than in the Tα1 group (24.1% vs 8.9%, p = 0.029). CONCLUSION Tα1 is safe for patients with HBV-related ACLF and significantly improves the 90-day liver transplantation-free survival rate. There may be a subgroup which may benefit from Tα1 therapy by the mechanism of preventing infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Feng Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Shu-Ru Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zi-Ying Lei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Hui-Juan Cao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Shao-Quan Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Wei-Zhen Weng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jing Xiong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Deng-Na Lin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yu-Bao Zheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zhi-Liang Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Bing-Liang Lin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Tianhe Area, Guangzhou, 510630, China. .,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China. .,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
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7
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Zhu N, Dong F, Shi G, Lao X, Zheng H. HORDB a comprehensive database of peptide hormones. Sci Data 2022; 9:187. [PMID: 35469024 PMCID: PMC9039076 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01287-5] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide hormones (also known as hormone peptides and polypeptide hormones) are hormones composed of peptides and are signal transduction molecules produced by a class of multicellular organisms. It plays an important role in the physiological and behavioral regulation of animals and humans as well as in the growth of plants. In order to promote the research on peptide hormones, we constructed HORDB database. The database currently has a total of 6024 entries, including 5729 peptide hormones, 40 peptide drugs and 255 marketed pharmaceutical preparations information. Each entry provided comprehensive information related to the peptide, including general information, sequence, activity, structure, physical information and literature information. We also added information on IC50, EC50, ED50, target, and whether or not the blood-brain barrier was crossed to the activity information note. In addition, HORDB integrates search and sequence analysis to facilitate user browsing and data analysis. We believe that the peptide hormones information collected by HORDB will promote the design and discovery of peptide hormones, All data are hosted and available in figshare https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5522241 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, P. R. China
| | - Fanyi Dong
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, P. R. China
| | - Guobang Shi
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, P. R. China
| | - Xingzhen Lao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, P. R. China.
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing, 210009, P. R. China.
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Linye H, Zijing X, Wei P, Chao H, Chuan L, Tianfu W. Thymosin alpha-1 therapy improves postoperative survival after curative resection for solitary hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity score matching analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e25749. [PMID: 34011034 PMCID: PMC8137107 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000025749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1) is an immunomodulatory and antiviral agent with potential effects on chronic hepatitis B and liver cancer. Its impact on solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial, so we aimed to investigate the efficacy of Tα1 in solitary HBV-related HCC patients after curative resection.Between May 2010 and April 2016, 468 patients with solitary HBV-related HCC after curative resection were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize confounding variables. Risk factors were identified by the Cox proportional hazards model. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates, overall survival (OS) rates, immunological, and virologic response were compared.The median follow up was 60.0 months. Immunological response improved in the Tα1 group compared with the control group (P < .001) but the virologic response was similar between 2 groups after 24 months. Patients with Tα1 therapy had better RFS and OS before (P = .018 and P < .001) and after (P = .006 and P < .001) propensity matching. Multivariate analysis revealed that Tα1 therapy was an independent prognostic factor for both OS (P < .001, HR = 0.308, 95% CI: 0.175-0.541) and RFS (P < .001, HR = 0.381, 95% CI: 0.229-0.633).Tα1 as an adjuvant therapy improves the prognosis of solitary HBV-related HCC patients after curative liver resection.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology
- Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/methods
- Disease-Free Survival
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Hepatectomy
- Hepatitis B virus/isolation & purification
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/mortality
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/pathology
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/therapy
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/virology
- Humans
- Liver/pathology
- Liver/surgery
- Liver/virology
- Liver Neoplasms/mortality
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Liver Neoplasms/therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/virology
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/epidemiology
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/prevention & control
- Prognosis
- Propensity Score
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Survival Rate
- Thymalfasin/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
- He Linye
- Department of Thyroid & Parathyroid Surgery
| | - Xia Zijing
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology
| | - Peng Wei
- Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - He Chao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Li Chuan
- Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Wen Tianfu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
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Binder U, Skerra A. PASylated Thymosin α1: A Long-Acting Immunostimulatory Peptide for Applications in Oncology and Virology. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010124. [PMID: 33374407 PMCID: PMC7795856 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is an immunostimulatory peptide for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and used as an immune enhancer, which also offers prospects in the context of COVID-19 infections and cancer. Manufacturing of this N-terminally acetylated 28-residue peptide is demanding, and its short plasma half-life limits in vivo efficacy and requires frequent dosing. Here, we combined the PASylation technology with enzymatic in situ N-acetylation by RimJ to produce a long-acting version of Tα1 in Escherichia coli at high yield. ESI-MS analysis of the purified fusion protein indicated the expected composition without any signs of proteolysis. SEC analysis revealed a 10-fold expanded hydrodynamic volume resulting from the fusion with a conformationally disordered Pro/Ala/Ser (PAS) polypeptide of 600 residues. This size effect led to a plasma half-life in rats extended by more than a factor 8 compared to the original synthetic peptide due to retarded kidney filtration. Our study provides the basis for therapeutic development of a next generation thymosin α1 with prolonged circulation. Generally, the strategy of producing an N-terminally protected PASylated peptide solves three major problems of peptide drugs: (i) instability in the expression host, (ii) rapid degradation by serum exopeptidases, and (iii) low bioactivity because of fast renal clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uli Binder
- XL-protein GmbH, Lise-Meitner-Str. 30, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Correspondence: (U.B.); (A.S.)
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 5, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Correspondence: (U.B.); (A.S.)
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Choi JY, Ji W, Choi CM, Chung C, Noh JM, Park CK, Oh IJ, Yoon HI, Kim HR, Kim HY, Yeo CD, Jang SH. Awareness and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Korean Lung Cancer Patients. Tuberc Respir Dis (Seoul) 2020; 84:105-114. [PMID: 33287469 PMCID: PMC8010414 DOI: 10.4046/trd.2020.0098] [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: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used frequently, and its use continues to increase in lung cancer patients, despite insufficient scientific of its efficacy. To investigate this situation, we analyzed the current awareness and use of CAM in Korean lung-cancer patients. Methods This prospective survey–based study was performed at seven medical centers in South Korea between August and October 2019. The survey assessed general patient characteristics and the awareness and use of CAM. We analyzed differences in the clinical parameters of patients aware and not aware of CAM and of CAM non-users and users. Results Of the 434 patients included in this study, 68.8% responded that they were aware of CAM and 30.9% said they had experienced it. In univariate analysis, the patients aware of CAM were younger with poor performance status, had advanced-stage lung cancer, received more systemic therapy, and received concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). By multiple logistic regression, younger age, poor performance status, advanced stage, and prior CCRT were identified as independent risk factors for CAM awareness. There were no significant differences in the general characteristics and cancer-associated clinical parameters of CAM non-users and users. Conclusion Specific clinical parameters were associated with patients’ awareness of CAM, although there were no significantly different characteristics between CAM users and non-users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joon Young Choi
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonjun Ji
- Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Min Choi
- Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaeuk Chung
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Myoung Noh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol-Kyu Park
- Lung and Esophageal Cancer Clinic, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea.,Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Jae Oh
- Lung and Esophageal Cancer Clinic, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Republic of Korea.,Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong In Yoon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeong Ryul Kim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Young Kim
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Dong Yeo
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hun Jang
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Republic of Korea
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11
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Matteucci C, Minutolo A, Balestrieri E, Petrone V, Fanelli M, Malagnino V, Ianetta M, Giovinazzo A, Barreca F, Di Cesare S, De Marco P, Miele MT, Toschi N, Mastino A, Sinibaldi Vallebona P, Bernardini S, Rogliani P, Sarmati L, Andreoni M, Grelli S, Garaci E. Thymosin Alpha 1 Mitigates Cytokine Storm in Blood Cells From Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients. Open Forum Infect Dis 2020; 8:ofaa588. [PMID: 33506065 PMCID: PMC7798699 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by immune-mediated lung injury and complex alterations of the immune system, such as lymphopenia and cytokine storm, that have been associated with adverse outcomes underlining a fundamental role of host response in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and the pathogenesis of the disease. Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is one of the molecules used in the management of COVID-19, because it is known to restore the homeostasis of the immune system during infections and cancer. Methods In this study, we captured the interconnected biological processes regulated by Tα1 in CD8+ T cells under inflammatory conditions. Results Genes associated with cytokine signaling and production were upregulated in blood cells from patients with COVID-19, and the ex vivo treatment with Tα1-mitigated cytokine expression, and inhibited lymphocyte activation in a CD8+ T-cell subset specifically. Conclusion These data suggest the potential role of Tα1 in modulating the immune response homeostasis and the cytokine storm in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Minutolo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Vita Petrone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marialaura Fanelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Malagnino
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Infectious Diseases Clinic, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Ianetta
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Infectious Diseases Clinic, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Filippo Barreca
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Infectious Diseases Clinic, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Cesare
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Unit of Immune and Infectious Diseases, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Childrens' Hospital-Scientific Institute for Research and Healthcare (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia De Marco
- Respiratory Medicine Unit, University Hospital Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Martino Tony Miele
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Toschi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Antonio Mastino
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.,Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Bernardini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Rogliani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Respiratory Medicine Unit, University Hospital Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Sarmati
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Infectious Diseases Clinic, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Andreoni
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Infectious Diseases Clinic, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Sandro Grelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Virology Unit, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Garaci
- University San Raffaele, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
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12
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Zhou L, Pan LC, Zheng YG, Zhang XX, Liu ZJ, Meng X, Shi HD, Du GS, He Q. Reduction of FoxP3 + Tregs by an immunosuppressive protocol of rapamycin plus Thymalfasin and Huaier extract predicts positive survival benefits in a rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:472. [PMID: 32395516 PMCID: PMC7210174 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2020.03.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Investigate immunoregulation and anti-tumor immunity of FoxP3+Tregs after treatment with rapamycin (RAPA/SRL) plus thymalfasin (Zadaxin) and Huaier extract (PS-T) in a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rat model simulating HCC relapse after liver transplant (LT). Methods We successfully established a rat model simulating HCC relapse after LT using an optimized chemical induction method with TACROLIMUS, methylprednisolone, and diethylnitrosamine as identified by visible liver nodules and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The model rats were then treated with RAPA, Zadaxin, and PS-T. Immune status changes were analyzed by flow cytometry, and protein expression of Akt and mTOR was determined by western blotting. Cytokines were measured by ELISAs. Results Combined therapy by RAPA plus Zadaxin and PS-T obviously alleviated hepatic pathological changes and significantly decreased the levels of FoxP3+Tregs in peripheral blood, the spleen, and the liver (P<0.05) and expression of mTOR protein (P<0.01) in the liver, obviously improved survival time (P=0.02). Moreover, the levels of CD8+T cells were increased significantly to almost normal levels (P<0.05) in comparison with no SRL monotherapy protocols. Inhibitory cytokines were also decreased in accordance with FoxP3+Tregs. Significant decreases of IL-10 and TGF-β were observed after SRL-based therapy (P<0.01) in comparison with the other groups. Serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were also decreased significantly (P<0.05). FoxP3+Tregs showed a negative correlation with CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+T cells and a positive correlation with AFP, and VEGF (P<0.05). Conclusions SRL-based therapy reduces FoxP3+Tregs to decrease secreted inhibitory cytokines which may enhancement the viability and number of CD8+T cells to exert anti-tumor effects that are mainly mediated through the AKT-mTOR signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreaticosplenic Surgery, Beijing ChaoYang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.,Department of (Second) Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 1 Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.,Departmentof Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 8 Medical center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Li-Chao Pan
- Department of (Second) Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 1 Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yong-Gen Zheng
- Departmentof Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 8 Medical center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Xin-Xue Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreaticosplenic Surgery, Beijing ChaoYang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Zhi-Jia Liu
- Departmentof Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 8 Medical center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Xuan Meng
- Department of (Second) Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 1 Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Hai-Da Shi
- Department of (Second) Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 1 Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Guo-Sheng Du
- Departmentof Hepatobiliary Surgery, the 8 Medical center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Qiang He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreaticosplenic Surgery, Beijing ChaoYang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
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13
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Calf thymus polypeptide improved hematopoiesis via regulating colony-stimulating factors in BALB/c mice with hematopoietic dysfunction. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 156:204-216. [PMID: 32156537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Calf thymus polypeptide (CTP) is prepared from calf thymus. It has a molecular mass of <10 kilodalton (kDa) and contains 17 types of amino acids. This study investigated the hematopoietic function-improvement effect of CTP in CHRF, K562, and bone marrow mononuclear cells; mice with immunosuppression; and with hematopoietic dysfunction. In mice with immunosuppression, CTP enhanced the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells and the proliferation of lymphocytes and regulated the levels of immunoglobulins. It also enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of CHRF and K562 cells by upregulating the expression of proliferation- and differentiation-related proteins. In mice with hematopoietic dysfunction, CTP restored white blood cell, neutrophil, and hemoglobin proportions in the peripheral blood and enhanced the levels of B lymphocytes and hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells in the bone marrow. CTP effectively regulated the levels of hematopoiesis-related cytokines, such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin 2, and interferons-γ, and enhanced the expression of hematopoiesis-related proteins in both primary bone marrow cells and mice with hematopoietic dysfunction. These results indicate that CTP has hematopoietic function-improvement effect and this effect may be related to the modulation of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) and related signaling pathways.
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14
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Wang T, Yin L, Wang H, Fawcett JP, Gu J. Development and application of a high-throughput liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of thymosin α1 and its recombinant human form in plasma and urine. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2019; 170:16-21. [PMID: 30903925 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2019.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Thymosin α1 (Thymalfasin, Tα1) is a naturally occurring polypeptide widely used as an immune system enhancer for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, and cancer. Recombinant human Tα1 (rh-Tα1) lacking N-terminal acetylation (NTA) displays similar biological activity to Tα1 and has completed phase III clinical trials in China. To compare the pharmacokinetics of rh-Tα1 and Tα1 and establish whether they undergo mutual transmutation in vivo, we developed a novel bioassay based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of the two peptides in human plasma and urine. Sample preparation by protein precipitation using a mixture of methanol and perchloric acid was followed by HPLC on a Zorbax 300SB-C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) maintained at 40 °C. Detection was by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of the precursor-to-product ion transitions at m/z 778.0→316.0 for Tα1, m/z 767.3→955.0 for rh-Tα1 and m/z 832.3→159.2 for the internal standard, eptifibatide. The method was linear in the range 2-100 ng/mL for both analytes with good accuracy and precision. High sample throughput was facilitated by inclusion of a parallel two-column chromatographic system. The method was successfully applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study involving single subcutaneous injections of either Tα1 or rh-Tα1 to two groups of healthy male volunteers. The results indicate that rh-Tα1 undergoes NTA in vivo to form Tα1 but that Tα1 is not deacetylated to rh-Tα1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- Research Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, PR China; Research Center for Drug Metabolism, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China
| | - Lei Yin
- Research Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, PR China; Research Center for Drug Metabolism, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, PR China
| | - John Paul Fawcett
- Research Center for Drug Metabolism, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China
| | - Jingkai Gu
- Research Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, PR China; Research Center for Drug Metabolism, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, PR China; Beijing Institute of Drug Metabolism, Beijing, 102209, PR China.
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15
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Matteucci C, Argaw-Denboba A, Balestrieri E, Giovinazzo A, Miele M, D'Agostini C, Pica F, Grelli S, Paci M, Mastino A, Sinibaldi Vallebona P, Garaci E, Tomino C. Deciphering cellular biological processes to clinical application: a new perspective for Tα1 treatment targeting multiple diseases. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 18:23-31. [PMID: 30063863 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1474198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is a well-recognized immune response modulator in a wide range of disorders, particularly infections and cancer. The bioinformatic analysis of public databases allows drug repositioning, predicting a new potential area of clinical intervention. We aimed to decipher the cellular network induced by Tα1 treatment to confirm present use and identify new potential clinical applications. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We used the transcriptional profile of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells treated in vitro with Tα1 to perform the enrichment network analysis by the Metascape online tools and the disease enrichment analysis by the DAVID online tool. RESULTS Networked cellular responses reflected Tα1 regulated biological processes including immune and metabolic responses, response to compounds and oxidative stress, ion homeostasis, peroxisome biogenesis and drug metabolic process. Beyond cancer and infections, the analysis evidenced the association with disorders such as kidney chronic failure, diabetes, cardiovascular, chronic respiratory, neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. CONCLUSIONS In addition to the known ability to promote immune response pathways, the network enrichment analysis demonstrated that Tα1 regulates cellular metabolic processes and oxidative stress response. Notable, the analysis highlighted the association with several diseases, suggesting new translational implication of Tα1 treatment in pathological conditions unexpected until now.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Matteucci
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Ayele Argaw-Denboba
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Alessandro Giovinazzo
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Martino Miele
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Cartesio D'Agostini
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Francesca Pica
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Sandro Grelli
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Maurizio Paci
- b Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy
| | - Antonio Mastino
- c Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.,d National Research Council , Institute of Translational Pharmacology , Rome , Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi Vallebona
- a Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.,d National Research Council , Institute of Translational Pharmacology , Rome , Italy
| | | | - Carlo Tomino
- e Università San Raffaele Pisana , Roma , Italy.,f IRCSS San Raffaele Pisana , Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care , Roma , Italy
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16
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Pica F, Gaziano R, Casalinuovo IA, Moroni G, Buè C, Limongi D, D'Agostini C, Tomino C, Perricone R, Palamara AT, Sinibaldi Vallebona P, Garaci E. Serum thymosin alpha 1 levels in normal and pathological conditions. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 18:13-21. [PMID: 30063864 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1474197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Thymosin alpha 1 (Ta1) is a natural occurring peptide hormone that is crucial for the maintenance of the organism homeostasis. It has been chemically synthesized and used in diseases where the immune system is hindered or malfunctioning. AREAS COVERED Many clinical trials investigate the Ta1 effects in patients with cancer, infectious diseases and as a vaccine enhancer. The number of diseases that could benefit from Ta1 treatment is increasing. To date, questions remain about the physiological basal levels of Ta1 and the most effective dose and schedule of treatment. Evidence is growing that diseases characterized by deregulation of immune and/or inflammatory responses are associated with serum levels of Ta1 significantly lower than those of healthy individuals: to date, B hepatitis, psoriatic arthritis, multiple sclerosis and sepsis. The sputum of cystic fibrosis patients contains lower levels of Ta1 than healthy controls. These data are consistent with the role of Ta1 as a regulator of immunity, tolerance and inflammation. EXPERT OPINION Low serum Ta1 levels are predictive and/or associated with different pathological conditions. In case of Ta1 treatment, it is crucial to know the patient's baseline serum Ta1 level to establish effective treatment protocols and monitor their effectiveness over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pica
- a Departments of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy
| | - Roberta Gaziano
- a Departments of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy
| | | | - Gabriella Moroni
- a Departments of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy
| | - Cristina Buè
- a Departments of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy
| | - Dolores Limongi
- b IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana , Telematic University , Rome , Italy
| | - Cartesio D'Agostini
- a Departments of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy
| | - Carlo Tomino
- b IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana , Telematic University , Rome , Italy
| | - Roberto Perricone
- c Medicine of Systems, Rheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy
| | - Anna Teresa Palamara
- b IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana , Telematic University , Rome , Italy.,d Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | | | - Enrico Garaci
- a Departments of Experimental Medicine and Surgery , University Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.,b IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana , Telematic University , Rome , Italy
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17
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Severa M, Zhang J, Giacomini E, Rizzo F, Etna MP, Cruciani M, Garaci E, Chopp M, Coccia EM. Thymosins in multiple sclerosis and its experimental models: moving from basic to clinical application. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2019; 27:52-60. [PMID: 30317071 PMCID: PMC7104151 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) afflicts more than 2.5 million individuals worldwide and this number is increasing over time. Within the past years, a great number of disease-modifying treatments have emerged; however, efficacious treatments and a cure for MS await discovery. Thymosins, soluble hormone-like peptides produced by the thymus gland, can mediate immune and non-immune physiological processes and have gained interest in recent years as therapeutics in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. METHODS Pubmed was searched with no time constraints for articles using a combination of the keywords "thymosin/s" or "thymus factor/s" AND "multiple sclerosis", mesh terms with no language restriction. RESULTS Here, we review the state-of-the-art on the effects of thymosins on MS and its experimental models. In particular, we describe what is known in this field on the roles of thymosin-α1 (Tα1) and -β4 (Tβ4) as potential anti-inflammatory as well as neuroprotective and remyelinating molecules and their mechanisms of action. CONCLUSION Based on the data that Tα1 and Tβ4 act as anti-inflammatory molecules and as inducers of myelin repair and neuronal protection, respectively, a possible therapeutic application in MS for Tα1 and Tβ4 alone or combined with other approved drugs may be envisaged. This approach is reasonable in light of the current clinical usage of Tα1 and data demonstrating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Tβ4 in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Severa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Elena Giacomini
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana Rizzo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marilena Paola Etna
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Melania Cruciani
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Garaci
- University San Raffaele and IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Chopp
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA,Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
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18
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Bo C, Wu Q, Zhao H, Li X, Zhou Q. Thymosin α1 suppresses migration and invasion of PD-L1 high-expressing non-small-cell lung cancer cells via inhibition of STAT3-MMP2 signaling. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:7255-7270. [PMID: 30425517 PMCID: PMC6205819 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s177943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is one of the most commonly used immunomodulators for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in many countries. Despite the identification of the direct suppression on cancer cell proliferation, little is known about its effect on metastasis and metastasis-related signaling such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Materials and methods NSCLC cells with distinguishing PD-L1 expression levels were treated with Tα1. siRNAs were used to knockdown PD-L1. Cell migration and invasion abilities were evaluated by wound-healing and transwell assays. The xenograft model by BALB/c nude mice was constructed to test the inhibitory effect of Tα1 on metastasis in vivo. The expression levels of metastasis-related signaling pathways and key molecules were assessed by Western blot (WB) and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). Results Tα1 significantly suppressed cell migration and invasion in PD-L1 high-expressing H1299, NL9980, and L9981 cells but not in PD-L1 low-expressing A549 or SPC-A-1 cells. This difference was demonstrated by mouse model in vivo as well. Knocking down of PD-L1 significantly impaired the inhibition of cell migration and invasion caused by Tα1 treating in PD-L1 high-expressing cells. Besides, Tα1 inhibited the activation and translocation of STAT3 and the expression of MMP2 in PD-L1 high-expressing NSCLC cells. Moreover, the treatment of STAT3 activator colivelin could partly reverse the Tα1-induced MMP2 suppression and the migration phenotype. Conclusion Tα1 significantly suppresses migration and invasion in PD-L1 high-expressing NSCLC cells compared with PD-L1 low-expressing NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo, through the downregulation of STAT3–MMP2 signaling. These different responses to Tα1, together with the depiction of Tα1-induced signaling changes, suggest a potential benefit of Tα1 for PD-L1-positive NSCLC patients, enlightening the combination of Tα1 with target therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Bo
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,
| | - Qiang Wu
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China,
| | - Hai Zhao
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuebing Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China, ,
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, .,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China, ,
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19
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Garaci E. From thymus to cystic fibrosis: the amazing life of thymosin alpha 1. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2018; 18:9-11. [PMID: 30063868 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1484447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Garaci
- a University San Raffaele and IRCCS San Raffaele , Rome , Italy
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20
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Stincardini C, Renga G, Villella V, Pariano M, Oikonomou V, Borghi M, Bellet MM, Sforna L, Costantini C, Goldstein AL, Garaci E, Romani L. Cellular proteostasis: a new twist in the action of thymosin α1. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2018; 18:43-48. [DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1484103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgia Renga
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Valeria Villella
- European Institute for Research in Cystic Fibrosis, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marilena Pariano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Vasilis Oikonomou
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Monica Borghi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marina M. Bellet
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Luigi Sforna
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudio Costantini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Allan L. Goldstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Enrico Garaci
- University San Raffaele and IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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21
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Naylor PH, Mutchnick MG. Immunotherapy for hepatitis B in the direct acting antiviral era: Reevaluating the thymosin α1 efficacy trials in the light of a combination therapy approach. J Viral Hepat 2018; 25:4-9. [PMID: 29052304 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes both acute and chronic hepatitis and infects large numbers of individuals worldwide. Unfortunately, prediction of typical clinical outcome is problematic and there is considerable variability in the frequency, duration and severity of disease progression. The mainstay of HBV treatment is directed towards the suppression of HBV replication by nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs). The use of immunomodulators such as α-Interferon and thymosin α1 can, in select patients, results in elimination of both HBsAg and HBeAg. Given the observation that viral clearance is most effective in the presence of a strong immune response, this review summarizes data suggesting that the use of a combination of an immune modulator such as Tα1 with a highly effective NUC may result in a more successful therapeutic approach in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Results from small studies using combination Tα1 and NUCs are encouraging, and ongoing clinical trials combining entecavir with Tα1 are anticipated to provide important data assessing the use of a combination of Tα1 with a NUC to achieve resolution of CHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- P H Naylor
- Department of Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Harper University Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - M G Mutchnick
- Department of Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Harper University Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA
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22
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Mandaliti W, Nepravishta R, Pica F, Vallebona PS, Garaci E, Paci M. Thymosin α1 Interacts with Hyaluronic Acid Electrostatically by Its Terminal Sequence LKEKK. Molecules 2017; 22:E1843. [PMID: 29077041 PMCID: PMC6150299 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22111843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Thymosin α1 (Tα1), is a peptidic hormone, whose immune regulatory properties have been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo and approved in different countries for treatment of several viral infections and cancers. Tα1 assumes a conformation in negative membranes upon insertion into the phosphatidylserine exposure as found in several pathologies and in apoptosis. These findings are in agreement with the pleiotropy of Tα1, which targets both normal and tumor cells, interacting with multiple cellular components, and have generated renewed interest in the topic. Hyaluronan (HA) occurs ubiquitously in the extracellular matrix and on cell surfaces and has been related to a variety of diseases, and developmental and physiological processes. Proteins binding HA, among them CD44 and the Receptor for HA-mediated motility (RHAMM) receptors, mediate its biological effects. NMR spectroscopy indicated preliminarily that an interaction of Tα1 with HA occurs specifically around lysine residues of the sequence LKEKK of Tα1 and is suggestive of a possible interference of Tα1 in the binding of HA with CD44 and RHAMM. Further studies are needed to deepen these observations because Tα1 is known to potentiate the T-cell immunity and anti-tumor effect. The binding inhibitory activity of Tα1 on HA-CD44 or HA-RHAMM interactions can suppress both T-cell reactivity and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Mandaliti
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Ridvan Nepravishta
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
- School of Pharmacy, East Anglia University, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Francesca Pica
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Sinibaldi Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Enrico Garaci
- San Raffaele Pisana Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, 00163 Rome, Italy.
| | - Maurizio Paci
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
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23
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Xie G, Gu D, Zhang L, Chen S, Wu D. A rapid and systemic complete response to stereotactic body radiation therapy and pembrolizumab in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Biol Ther 2017; 18:547-551. [PMID: 28665741 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2017.1345389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of local tumor would induce an abscopal effect that has been observed in several kinds of human cancers; one important mechanism may involve the improved activation of the host immune system. The immune checkpoint inhibitor can overcome immune tolerance and enhance the activation of antitumor T cells. The combined treatment of SBRT and checkpoint inhibitor may represent a new promising therapeutic approach. Herein, we reported a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with concurrent SBRT and anti-PD-1 antibody, pembrolizumab, by which the patient achieved an amazingly systemic complete response in only 2.2 months after starting treatment. This case report indicates that the advanced RCC may benefit from the combining treatment of local SBRT and PD-1 inhibitor and provide a useful paradigm worthy of establishing a clinical trial for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozhu Xie
- a Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital , Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong , P.R. China
| | - Di Gu
- b Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital , Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong , P.R. China
| | - Lanfang Zhang
- a Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital , Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong , P.R. China
| | - Shijun Chen
- b Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital , Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong , P.R. China
| | - Dehua Wu
- a Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital , Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong , P.R. China
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24
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Matteucci C, Grelli S, Balestrieri E, Minutolo A, Argaw-Denboba A, Macchi B, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Perno CF, Mastino A, Garaci E. Thymosin alpha 1 and HIV-1: recent advances and future perspectives. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:141-155. [PMID: 28106477 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of the consistent benefits for HIV-1 infected patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy, a complete immune reconstitution is usually not achieved. Actually, antiretroviral therapy may be frequently accompanied by immunological unresponsiveness, persistent inflammatory conditions and inefficient cytotoxic T-cell response. Thymosin alpha 1 is a thymic peptide that demonstrates a peculiar ability to restore immune system homeostasis in different physiological and pathological conditions (i.e., infections, cancer, immunodeficiency, vaccination and aging) acting as multitasking protein depending on the host state of inflammation or immune dysfunction. This review reports the present knowledge on the in vitro and in vivo studies concerning the use of thymosin alpha 1 in HIV-1 infection. Recent findings and future perspectives of therapeutic intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Sandro Grelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Antonella Minutolo
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Ayele Argaw-Denboba
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Beatrice Macchi
- Department of System Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy.,Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Carlo Federico Perno
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Antonio Mastino
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, Rome 00133, Italy.,Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical & Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Via F. Stagno d'Alcontres 31, Messina 98166, Italy
| | - Enrico Garaci
- Department of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Montepellier, 1, Rome 00133, Italy.,IRCSS San Raffaele Pisana, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization & Health Care, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, Roma 00166, Italy
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25
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Vacchelli E, Bloy N, Aranda F, Buqué A, Cremer I, Demaria S, Eggermont A, Formenti SC, Fridman WH, Fucikova J, Galon J, Spisek R, Tartour E, Zitvogel L, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. Trial Watch: Immunotherapy plus radiation therapy for oncological indications. Oncoimmunology 2016; 5:e1214790. [PMID: 27757313 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2016.1214790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant cells succumbing to some forms of radiation therapy are particularly immunogenic and hence can initiate a therapeutically relevant adaptive immune response. This reflects the intrinsic antigenicity of malignant cells (which often synthesize a high number of potentially reactive neo-antigens) coupled with the ability of radiation therapy to boost the adjuvanticity of cell death as it stimulates the release of endogenous adjuvants from dying cells. Thus, radiation therapy has been intensively investigated for its capacity to improve the therapeutic profile of several anticancer immunotherapies, including (but not limited to) checkpoint blockers, anticancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses, Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, cytokines, and several small molecules with immunostimulatory effects. Here, we summarize recent preclinical and clinical advances in this field of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Vacchelli
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Norma Bloy
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Fernando Aranda
- Group of Immune receptors of the Innate and Adaptive System, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) , Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aitziber Buqué
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Isabelle Cremer
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 13, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
| | - Sandra Demaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College , New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Wolf Hervé Fridman
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 13, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
| | - Jitka Fucikova
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jérôme Galon
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
| | - Radek Spisek
- Sotio, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eric Tartour
- Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; INSERM, U970, Paris, France; Paris-Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), Paris, France; Service d'Immunologie Biologique, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Zitvogel
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France; INSERM, U1015, CICBT1428, Villejuif, France
| | - Guido Kroemer
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France; Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Galluzzi
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes/Paris V, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie/Paris VI, Paris, France; Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Center de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France; Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France; Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
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