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Kunachowicz D, Król-Kulikowska M, Raczycka W, Sleziak J, Błażejewska M, Kulbacka J. Heat Shock Proteins, a Double-Edged Sword: Significance in Cancer Progression, Chemotherapy Resistance and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1500. [PMID: 38672583 PMCID: PMC11048091 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081500] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are involved in one of the adaptive mechanisms protecting cells against environmental and metabolic stress. Moreover, the large role of these proteins in the carcinogenesis process, as well as in chemoresistance, was noticed. This review aims to draw attention to the possibilities of using Hsps in developing new cancer therapy methods, as well as to indicate directions for future research on this topic. In order to discuss this matter, a thorough review of the latest scientific literature was carried out, taking into account the importance of selected proteins from the Hsp family, including Hsp27, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90 and Hsp110. One of the more characteristic features of all Hsps is that they play a multifaceted role in cancer progression, which makes them an obvious target for modern anticancer therapy. Some researchers emphasize the importance of directly inhibiting the action of these proteins. In turn, others point to their possible use in the design of cancer vaccines, which would work by inducing an immune response in various types of cancer. Due to these possibilities, it is believed that the use of Hsps may contribute to the progress of oncoimmunology, and thus help in the development of modern anticancer therapies, which would be characterized by higher effectiveness and lower toxicity to the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Kunachowicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (D.K.); (M.K.-K.)
| | - Magdalena Król-Kulikowska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (D.K.); (M.K.-K.)
| | - Wiktoria Raczycka
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (W.R.); (J.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Jakub Sleziak
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (W.R.); (J.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Marta Błażejewska
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (W.R.); (J.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Julita Kulbacka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland
- Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine Santariškių g. 5, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania
- DIVE IN AI, 53-307 Wroclaw, Poland
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Yu X, Liu W, Chen S, Cheng X, Paez PA, Sun T, Yuan F, Wei C, Landry JW, Poklepovic AS, Bear HD, Subjeck JR, Repasky E, Guo C, Wang XY. Immunologically programming the tumor microenvironment induces the pattern recognition receptor NLRC4-dependent antitumor immunity. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2020-001595. [PMID: 33468554 PMCID: PMC7817794 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The efficacy of cancer immunotherapy can be limited by the poor immunogenicity of cancer and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Immunologically programming the TME and creating an immune-inflamed tumor phenotype is critical for improving the immune-responsiveness of cancers. Here, we interrogate the immune modulator Flagrp170, engineered via incorporation of a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (ie, flagellin) into an immunostimulatory chaperone molecule, in transforming poorly immunogenic tumors and establishing a highly immunostimulatory milieu for immune augmentation. Methods Multiple murine cancer models were used to evaluate the immunostimulatory activity, antitumor potency, and potential side effects of Flagrp170 on administration into the tumors using a replication impaired adenovirus. Antibody neutralization and mice deficient in pattern recognition receptors, that is, toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) and NOD like receptor (NLR) family caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) domain-containing protein 4 (NLRC4), both of which can recognize flagellin, were employed to understand the immunological mechanism of action of the Flagrp170. Results Intratumoral delivery of mouse or human version of Flagrp170 resulted in robust inhibition of multiple malignancies including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and breast cancer, without tissue toxicities. This in situ Flagrp170 treatment induced a set of cytokines in the TME known to support Th1/Tc1-dominant antitumor immunity. Additionally, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor derived from mobilized CD8+ T cells was involved in the therapeutic activity of Flagrp170. We also made a striking finding that NLRC4, not TLR5, is required for Flagrp170-mediated antitumor immune responses. Conclusion Our results elucidate a novel immune-potentiating activity of Flagrp170 via engaging the innate pattern recognition receptor NLRC4, and support its potential clinical use to reshape cancer immune phenotype for overcoming therapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Yu
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Wenjie Liu
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Shixian Chen
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Xueqian Cheng
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Patrick A Paez
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Tuanwei Sun
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Fang Yuan
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Chunyan Wei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Joseph W Landry
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Andrew S Poklepovic
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Harry D Bear
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - John R Subjeck
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Elizabeth Repasky
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Chunqing Guo
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA .,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Xiang-Yang Wang
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA .,Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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