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Davar D, Zappasodi R. Targeting GITR in cancer immunotherapy - there is no perfect knowledge. Oncotarget 2023; 14:614-621. [PMID: 37335294 PMCID: PMC10278658 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR) belongs to the TNFR superfamily (TNFRSF) and stimulates both the acquired and innate immunity. GITR is broadly expressed on immune cells, particularly regulatory T cells (Tregs) and natural killer (NK) cells. Given its potential to promote T effector function and impede Treg immune suppression, GITR is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. Preclinically, GITR agonists have demonstrated potent anti-tumor efficacy singly and in combination with a variety of agents, including PD-1 blockade. Multiple GITR agonists have been advanced into the clinic, although the experience with these agents has been disappointing. Recent mechanistic insights into the roles of antibody structure, valency, and Fc functionality in mediating anti-tumor efficacy may explain some of the apparent inconsistency or discordance between preclinical data and observed clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diwakar Davar
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Roberta Zappasodi
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, NY 10065, USA
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, NY 10065, USA
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2
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An anti-PD-1–GITR-L bispecific agonist induces GITR clustering-mediated T cell activation for cancer immunotherapy. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:337-354. [PMID: 35256819 PMCID: PMC8960412 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00334-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Costimulatory receptors such as glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor–related protein (GITR) play key roles in regulating the effector functions of T cells. In human clinical trials, however, GITR agonist antibodies have shown limited therapeutic effect, which may be due to suboptimal receptor clustering-mediated signaling. To overcome this potential limitation, a rational protein engineering approach is needed to optimize GITR agonist-based immunotherapies. Here we show a bispecific molecule consisting of an anti-PD-1 antibody fused with a multimeric GITR ligand (GITR-L) that induces PD-1-dependent and FcγR-independent GITR clustering, resulting in enhanced activation, proliferation and memory differentiation of primed antigen-specific GITR+PD-1+ T cells. The anti-PD-1–GITR-L bispecific is a PD-1-directed GITR-L construct that demonstrated dose-dependent, immunologically driven tumor growth inhibition in syngeneic, genetically engineered and xenograft humanized mouse tumor models, with a dose-dependent correlation between target saturation and Ki67 and TIGIT upregulation on memory T cells. Anti-PD-1–GITR-L thus represents a bispecific approach to directing GITR agonism for cancer immunotherapy. Alvarez and colleagues develop a bispecific anti-PD-1–GITR-L agonist that activates T cells via a mechanism distinct from those found with individual PD-1 and GITR-L agonists and demonstrate its antitumor activity in mice and nonhuman primates.
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3
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Pourakbari R, Hajizadeh F, Parhizkar F, Aghebati-Maleki A, Mansouri S, Aghebati-Maleki L. Co-stimulatory agonists: An insight into the immunotherapy of cancer. EXCLI JOURNAL 2021; 20:1055-1085. [PMID: 34267616 PMCID: PMC8278219 DOI: 10.17179/excli2021-3522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint pathways consist of stimulatory pathways, which can function like a strong impulse to promote T helper cells or killer CD8+ cells activation and proliferation. On the other hand, inhibitory pathways keep self-tolerance of the immune response. Increasing immunological activity by stimulating and blocking these signaling pathways are recognized as immune checkpoint therapies. Providing the best responses of CD8+ T cell needs the activation of T cell receptor along with the co-stimulation that is generated via stimulatory checkpoint pathways ligation including Inducible Co-Stimulator (ICOS), CD40, 4-1BB, GITR, and OX40. In cancer, programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1), Programmed cell death ligand-1(PD-L1) and Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated molecule-4 (CTLA-4) are the most known inhibitory checkpoint pathways, which can hinder the immune responses which have specifically anti-tumor characteristics and attenuate T cell activation and also cytokine production. The use of antagonistic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that block CTLA-4 or PD-1 activation is used in a variety of malignancies. It has been reported that they can lead to an increase in T cells and thereby strengthen anti-tumor immunity. Agonists of stimulatory checkpoint pathways can induce strong immunologic responses in metastatic patients; however, for achieving long-lasting benefits for the wide range of patients, efficient combinatorial therapies are required. In the present review, we focus on the preclinical and basic research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which immune checkpoint inhibitor blockade or other approaches with co-stimulatory agonists work together to improve T-cell antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Pourakbari
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Student's Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Farnaz Hajizadeh
- Department of Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Forough Parhizkar
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Aghebati-Maleki
- Student's Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sanaz Mansouri
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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He S, Xu J, Wu J. The emerging role of co-stimulatory molecules and their agonistic mAb-based combination therapies in melanoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 89:107097. [PMID: 33091814 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Although anti-PD-1/L1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, the validated immune checkpoint blockades, can elicit durable long-lasting antitumor immunity and improve the clinical outcomes of melanoma treatment, there are still a fraction of patients who did not receive therapeutic benefits as expected. In addition to findings of blocking the co-inhibitory pathways, the preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that triggering the co-stimulatory pathways through agonists such as CD137, OX40, CD40, GITR and CD27 may be a rational next step for melanoma therapy. In this review, we discuss the progress of studies on these co-stimulatory molecules in terms of their promising therapeutic effects and underlying antitumor mechanisms, and provide a review of the possible combinations that orchestrate the interplay of co-stimulatory agonistic mAbs and other therapies for treating melanoma, including inhibitory immune checkpoint mAbs, adoptive T cell therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We also briefly present the limitations and challenges involved in these co-stimulatory agonistic mAb-based combination strategies for melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Jinhua Xu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China.
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5
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Patel JM, Cui Z, Wen ZF, Dinh CT, Hu HM. Peritumoral administration of DRibbles-pulsed antigen-presenting cells enhances the antitumor efficacy of anti-GITR and anti-PD-1 antibodies via an antigen presenting independent mechanism. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:311. [PMID: 31747946 PMCID: PMC6865022 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0786-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background TNF receptor family agonists and checkpoint blockade combination therapies lead to minimal tumor clearance of poorly immunogenic tumors. Therefore, a need to enhance the efficacy of this combination therapy arises. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) present antigen to T cells and steer the immune response through chemokine and cytokine secretion. DRibbles (DR) are tumor-derived autophagosomes containing tumor antigens and innate inflammatory adjuvants. Methods Using preclinical murine lung and pancreatic cancer models, we assessed the triple combination therapy of GITR agonist and PD-1 blocking antibodies with peritumoral injections of DRibbles-pulsed-bone marrow cells (BMCs), which consisted mainly of APCs, or CD103+ cross-presenting dendritic cells (DCs). Immune responses were assessed by flow cytometry. FTY720 was used to prevent T-cell egress from lymph nodes to assess lymph node involvement, and MHC-mismatched-BMCs were used to assess the necessity of antigen presentation by the peritumorally-injected DR-APCs. Results Tritherapy increased survival and cures in tumor-bearing mice compared to combined antibody therapy or peritumoral DR-BMCs alone. Peritumorally-injected BMCs remained within the tumor for at least 14 days and tritherapy efficacy was dependent on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Although the overall percent of tumor-infiltrating T cells remained similar, tritherapy increased the ratio of effector CD4+ T cells-to-regulatory T cells, CD4+ T-cell cytokine production and proliferation, and CD8+ T-cell cytolytic activity in the tumor. Despite tritherapy-induced T-cell activation and cytolytic activity in lymph nodes, this T-cell activation was not required for tumor regression and enhanced survival. Replacement of DR-BMCs with DR-pulsed-DCs in the tritherapy led to similar antitumor effects, whereas replacement with DRibbles was less effective but delayed tumor growth. Interestingly, peritumoral administration of DR-pulsed MHC-mismatched-APCs in the tritherapy led to similar antitumor effects as MHC-matched-APCs, indicating that the observed enhanced antitumor effect was mediated independently of antigen presentation by the administered APCs. Conclusions Overall, these results demonstrate that peritumoral DR-pulsed-BMC/DC administration synergizes with GITR agonist and PD-1 blockade to locally modulate and sustain tumor effector T-cell responses independently of T cell priming and perhaps through innate inflammatory modulations mediated by the DRibbles adjuvant. We offer a unique approach to modify the tumor microenvironment to benefit T-cell-targeted immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaina M Patel
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Center, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
| | - Zhihua Cui
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Center, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
| | - Zhi-Fa Wen
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Center, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR, 97213, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Catherine T Dinh
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Center, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR, 97213, USA
| | - Hong-Ming Hu
- Laboratory of Cancer Immunobiology, Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Center, 4805 NE Glisan Street, Portland, OR, 97213, USA.
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6
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Singh A, Koutsoumpli G, van de Wall S, Daemen T. An alphavirus-based therapeutic cancer vaccine: from design to clinical trial. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2019; 68:849-859. [PMID: 30465060 PMCID: PMC11028389 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-018-2276-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has greatly advanced in recent years. Most immunotherapeutic strategies are based on the use of immune checkpoint blockade to unleash antitumor immune responses or on the induction or adoptive transfer of immune effector cells. We aim to develop therapeutic vaccines based on recombinant Semliki Forest virus vectors to induce tumor-specific effector immune cells. In this review, we describe our ongoing work on SFV-based vaccines targeted against human papillomavirus- and hepatitis C virus-related infections and malignancies, focusing on design, delivery, combination strategies, preclinical efficacy and product development for a first-in-man clinical trial with an HPV-specific vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Singh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, HPC EB88, PO Box 30.001, 9700RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Georgia Koutsoumpli
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, HPC EB88, PO Box 30.001, 9700RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie van de Wall
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, HPC EB88, PO Box 30.001, 9700RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Toos Daemen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tumor Virology and Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, HPC EB88, PO Box 30.001, 9700RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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7
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Vermaelen K. Vaccine Strategies to Improve Anti-cancer Cellular Immune Responses. Front Immunol 2019; 10:8. [PMID: 30723469 PMCID: PMC6349827 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
More than many other fields in medicine, cancer vaccine development has been plagued by a wide gap between the massive amounts of highly encouraging preclinical data on one hand, and the disappointing clinical results on the other. It is clear now that traditional approaches from the infectious diseases' vaccine field cannot be borrowed as such to treat cancer. This review highlights some of the strategies developed to improve vaccine formulations for oncology, including research into more powerful or “smarter” adjuvants to elicit anti-tumoral cellular immune responses. As an illustration of the difficulties in translating smart preclinical strategies into real benefit for the cancer patient, the difficult road of vaccine development in lung cancer is given as example. Finally, an outline is provided of the combinatorial strategies that leverage the increasing knowledge on tumor-associated immune suppressive networks. Indeed, combining with drugs that target the dominant immunosuppressive pathway in a given tumor promises to unlock the true power of cancer vaccines and potentially offer long-term protection from disease relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Vermaelen
- Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Immuno-Oncology Network Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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8
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Abstract
Costimulatory signals initiated by the interaction between the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) ligand and cognate TNF receptor (TNFR) superfamilies promote clonal expansion, differentiation, and survival of antigen-primed CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and have a pivotal role in T-cell-mediated adaptive immunity and diseases. Accumulating evidence in recent years indicates that costimulatory signals via the subset of the TNFR superfamily molecules, OX40 (TNFRSF4), 4-1BB (TNFRSF9), CD27, DR3 (TNFRSF25), CD30 (TNFRSF8), GITR (TNFRSF18), TNFR2 (TNFRSF1B), and HVEM (TNFRSF14), which are constitutive or inducible on T cells, play important roles in protective immunity, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and tumor immunotherapy. In this chapter, we will summarize the findings of recent studies on these TNFR family of co-signaling molecules regarding their function at various stages of the T-cell response in the context of infection, inflammation, and cancer. We will also discuss how these TNFR co-signals are critical for immune regulation and have therapeutic potential for the treatment of T-cell-mediated diseases.
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9
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Immune checkpoint blockade and its combination therapy with small-molecule inhibitors for cancer treatment. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1871:199-224. [PMID: 30605718 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Initially understood for its physiological maintenance of self-tolerance, the immune checkpoint molecule has recently been recognized as a promising anti-cancer target. There has been considerable interest in the biology and the action mechanism of the immune checkpoint therapy, and their incorporation with other therapeutic regimens. Recently the small-molecule inhibitor (SMI) has been identified as an attractive combination partner for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and is becoming a novel direction for the field of combination drug design. In this review, we provide a systematic discussion of the biology and function of major immune checkpoint molecules, and their interactions with corresponding targeting agents. With both preclinical studies and clinical trials, we especially highlight the ICI + SMI combination, with its recent advances as well as its application challenges.
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10
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Veillette A, Davidson D. Developing combination immunotherapies against cancer that make sense. Sci Immunol 2018; 3:3/29/eaav1872. [DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aav1872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André Veillette
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, Québec H2W1R7, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C3J7, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Dominique Davidson
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, Québec H2W1R7, Canada
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11
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Schoenhals JE, Cushman TR, Barsoumian HB, Li A, Cadena AP, Niknam S, Younes AI, Caetano MDS, Cortez MA, Welsh JW. Anti-glucocorticoid-induced Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Protein (GITR) Therapy Overcomes Radiation-Induced Treg Immunosuppression and Drives Abscopal Effects. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2170. [PMID: 30294332 PMCID: PMC6158365 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the potential to cure metastatic disease, immunotherapy on its own often fails outright or early on due to tumor immune evasion. To address this obstacle, we investigated combinations of anti-GITR, anti-PD1 and radiation therapy (XRT) in our previously developed anti-PD1 resistant 344SQ non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma preclinical tumor model. We hypothesized that targeting multiple mechanisms of immune evasion with this triple therapy would lead to an enhanced tumor-specific immune response and improve survival more so than any mono- or dual therapy. In a two tumor 344SQR murine model, treatment with anti-GITR, anti-PD1, and XRT led to significantly improved survival and an abscopal response, with half of the mice becoming tumor free. These mice showed durable response and increased CD4+ and CD8+ effector memory on tumor rechallenge. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) expressed the highest level of GITR at the tumor site and anti-GITR therapy drastically diminished Tregs at the tumor site. Anti-tumor effects were largely dependent on CD4+ T cells and partially dependent on CD8+ T cells. Anti-GITR IgG2a demonstrated superior efficacy to anti-GITR IgG1 in driving antitumor effects. Collectively, these results suggest that combinatorial strategies targeting multiple points of tumor immune evasion may lead to a robust and lasting antitumor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan E Schoenhals
- Experimental Radiation Oncology Departments, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Taylor R Cushman
- Experimental Radiation Oncology Departments, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Hampartsoum B Barsoumian
- Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ailin Li
- Experimental Radiation Oncology Departments, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alexandra P Cadena
- Experimental Radiation Oncology Departments, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sharareh Niknam
- Experimental Radiation Oncology Departments, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ahmed I Younes
- Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mauricio da Silva Caetano
- Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Maria Angelica Cortez
- Experimental Radiation Oncology Departments, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - James W Welsh
- Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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12
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Villarreal DO, L'Huillier A, Armington S, Mottershead C, Filippova EV, Coder BD, Petit RG, Princiotta MF. Targeting CCR8 Induces Protective Antitumor Immunity and Enhances Vaccine-Induced Responses in Colon Cancer. Cancer Res 2018; 78:5340-5348. [PMID: 30026324 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-1119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
CCR8 is a chemokine receptor expressed principally on regulatory T cells (Treg) and is known to be critical for CCR8+ Treg-mediated immunosuppression. Recent studies have demonstrated that CCR8 is uniquely upregulated in human tumor-resident Tregs of patients with breast, colon, and lung cancer when compared with normal tissue-resident Tregs. Therefore, CCR8+ tumor-resident Tregs are rational targets for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we demonstrate that mAb therapy targeting CCR8 significantly suppresses tumor growth and improves long-term survival in colorectal tumor mouse models. This antitumor activity correlated with increased tumor-specific T cells, enhanced infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and a significant decrease in the frequency of tumor-resident CD4+CCR8+ Tregs. Tumor-specific CD8+ T cells displayed lower expression of exhaustion markers as well as increased functionality upon restimulation. Treatment with anti-CCR8 mAb prevented de novo induction and suppressive function of Tregs without affecting CD8+ T cells. Initial studies explored a combinatorial regimen using anti-CCR8 mAb therapy and a Listeria monocytogenes-based immunotherapy. Anti-CCR8 mAb therapy synergized with L. monocytogenes-based immunotherapy to significantly delay growth of established tumors and to prolong survival. Collectively, these findings identify CCR8 as a promising new target for tumor immunotherapy and provide a strong rationale for further development of this approach, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other immunotherapies.Significance: Inhibition of CCR8 represents a promising new cancer immunotherapy strategy that modulates tumor-resident regulatory T cells to enhance antitumor immunity and prolong patient survival. Cancer Res; 78(18); 5340-8. ©2018 AACR.
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13
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The Imbalance of FOXP3/GATA3 in Regulatory T Cells from the Peripheral Blood of Asthmatic Patients. J Immunol Res 2018; 2018:3096183. [PMID: 30013989 PMCID: PMC6022336 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3096183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Treg cells play an important role in the pathogenic progress of asthma. Objective To address the alterations of Treg cells in asthma. Methods Proliferation-and function-associated markers of Treg cells along with the percentage of Treg cells producing some cytokine from asthmatics and healthy subjects were analyzed by flow cytometry. Besides, the expressions of USP21 and PIM2 in Treg cells were measured by cell immunochemistry after Treg cells were sorted. Results Treg cells from asthmatic patients showed lower proliferation activity and were more likely to be apoptotic. These cells expressed lower levels of GITR, CTLA-4, Nrp-1, and IL-10 compared to those from the healthy control. Th2-like Treg cells increased in asthmatic patients, while the percentage of IFN-r+ Treg cells was similar between two groups. Moreover, the percentage of IL-4+ Treg cells is related to the asthma control. Treg cells from asthmatic patients expressed more FOXP3 as well as GATA3; the expression level of GATA3 negatively correlated with FEV1%pred. Increased expressions of USP21 and PIM2 in Treg cells from asthmatic patients were found. Conclusion Treg cells decreased in asthmatic patients, with an impaired immunosupression function and a Th2-like phenotype, which may be due to overexpression of GATA3 and FOXP3, regulated by USP21 and PIM2, respectively.
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15
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Massa C, Seliger B. The tumor microenvironment: Thousand obstacles for effector T cells. Cell Immunol 2017; 343:103730. [PMID: 29249298 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The immune system is endowed with the capability to recognize and destroy transformed cells, but even in the presence of an immune infiltrate many tumors do progress. In the last decades new discoveries have shed light into (some of) the underlying mechanisms. Immune effector cells are not only under the influence of immune suppressive cell subsets, but also intrinsically regulated by immune check point molecules that under physiological condition avoid attach of healthy tissue. Moreover, tumor cells are modifying the surrounding microenvironment through secretion of immune modulators as well as via their own metabolism, thus further impairing the development of immune effector functions. Different approaches are currently being evaluated in the clinic to overcome those regulatory mechanisms and to unleash effector T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Massa
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Barbara Seliger
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.
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16
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Villarreal DO, Allegrezza MJ, Smith MA, Chin D, Luistro LL, Snyder LA. Targeting of CD122 enhances antitumor immunity by altering the tumor immune environment. Oncotarget 2017; 8:109151-109160. [PMID: 29312597 PMCID: PMC5752510 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence demonstrates that CD8+CD122+ T cells have suppressive properties with the capacity to inhibit T cell responses. Therefore, these cells are rational targets for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we demonstrate that CD122 monoclonal antibody (mAb; aCD122) therapy significantly suppressed tumor growth and improved long-term survival in tumor-bearing mice. This therapeutic effect correlated with enhanced polyfunctional, cytolytic intratumoral CD8+ T cells and a decrease in granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs). In addition, aCD122 treatment synergized with a vaccine to augment vaccine-induced antigen (Ag)-specific CD8+ T cell responses, reject established tumors and generate memory T cells. Furthermore, aCD122 mAb synergized with an anti-GITR (aGITR) mAb to confer significant control of tumor growth. These results suggest CD122 might be a promising target for cancer immunotherapy, either as a single agent or in combination with other forms of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Diana Chin
- Oncology Discovery, Janssen R&D, Spring House, PA 19477
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Bullock TN. TNF-receptor superfamily agonists as molecular adjuvants for cancer vaccines. Curr Opin Immunol 2017; 47:70-77. [PMID: 28750279 PMCID: PMC5626616 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cancer vaccines have offered unrequited hope as a mechanism for rapidly and potently eliciting a patient's immune system to counter tumors. Initial results from preclinical mouse models have not translated to substantial benefit to patients, suggesting that either the targets or the vaccination approach were inadequate. Recent innovations in antigen identification have spiked renewed interest vaccination technologies. This has coincided with a detailed molecular understanding of the coordinated steps in postactivation support of T cell proliferation, differentiation and survival, leading to the development of novel targets and combinations that are substantially more effective than first and second generation cancer vaccines in preclinical models. Within this cluster of developments, the TNF-receptor superfamily members have emerged as attractive candidates for clinical implementation. Here we review recent developments in the mechanisms of action of TNFRSF agonists, and how their activity is potentiated by integration co-targeting pattern recognition receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Nj Bullock
- Department of Pathology and Human Immune Therapy Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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