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Pothuraju R, Khan I, Jain M, Bouvet M, Malafa M, Roy HK, Kumar S, Batra SK. Colorectal cancer murine models: Initiation to metastasis. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216704. [PMID: 38360138 PMCID: PMC11257378 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Despite significant advancements in prevention and treatment, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Animal models, including xenografts, syngeneic, and genetically engineered, have emerged as indispensable tools in cancer research. These models offer a valuable platform to address critical questions regarding molecular pathogenesis and test therapeutic interventions before moving on to clinical trials. Advancements in CRC animal models have also facilitated the advent of personalized and precision medicine. Patient-derived xenografts and genetically engineered mice that mirror features of human tumors allow for tailoring treatments to specific CRC subtypes, improving treatment outcomes and quality of life. To overcome the limitations of individual model systems, recent studies have employed a multi-modal approach, combining different animal models, 3D organoids, and in vitro studies. This integrative approach provides a comprehensive understanding of CRC biology, including the tumor microenvironment and therapeutic responses, driving the development of more effective and personalized therapeutic interventions. This review discusses the animal models used for CRC research, including recent advancements and limitations of these animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Pothuraju
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA; Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, 695014, Kerala, India
| | - Imran Khan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
| | - Maneesh Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA; Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA
| | - Michael Bouvet
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, California, USA
| | - Mokenge Malafa
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Hemant K Roy
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX-77030, USA
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA; Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA.
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA; Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA; Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE-68198, USA.
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2
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Trimaglio G, Sneperger T, Raymond BBA, Gilles N, Näser E, Locard-Paulet M, Ijsselsteijn ME, Brouwer TP, Ecalard R, Roelands J, Matsumoto N, Colom A, Habch M, de Miranda NFCC, Vergnolle N, Devaud C, Neyrolles O, Rombouts Y. The C-type lectin DCIR contributes to the immune response and pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7199. [PMID: 38532110 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57941-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Development and progression of malignancies are accompanied and influenced by alterations in the surrounding immune microenvironment. Understanding the cellular and molecular interactions between immune cells and cancer cells has not only provided important fundamental insights into the disease, but has also led to the development of new immunotherapies. The C-type lectin Dendritic Cell ImmunoReceptor (DCIR) is primarily expressed by myeloid cells and is an important regulator of immune homeostasis, as demonstrated in various autoimmune, infectious and inflammatory contexts. Yet, the impact of DCIR on cancer development remains largely unknown. Analysis of available transcriptomic data of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients revealed that high DCIR gene expression is associated with improved patients' survival, immunologically "hot" tumors and high immunologic constant of rejection, thus arguing for a protective and immunoregulatory role of DCIR in CRC. In line with these correlative data, we found that deficiency of DCIR1, the murine homologue of human DCIR, leads to the development of significantly larger tumors in an orthotopic murine model of CRC. This phenotype is accompanied by an altered phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and a reduction in the percentage of activated effector CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in CRC tumors of DCIR1-deficient mice. Overall, our results show that DCIR promotes antitumor immunity in CRC, making it an attractive target for the future development of immunotherapies to fight the second deadliest cancer in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Trimaglio
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Tamara Sneperger
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Benjamin B A Raymond
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Nelly Gilles
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Emmanuelle Näser
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Marie Locard-Paulet
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Thomas P Brouwer
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Romain Ecalard
- INSERM US006 ANEXPLO/CREFRE, Purpan Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Jessica Roelands
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Naoki Matsumoto
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - André Colom
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Myriam Habch
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Nathalie Vergnolle
- Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive, IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAe, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Christel Devaud
- Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive, IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAe, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Olivier Neyrolles
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Yoann Rombouts
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.
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3
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Wangmo D, Gates TJ, Zhao X, Sun R, Subramanian S. Centrosomal Protein 55 (CEP55) Drives Immune Exclusion and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:63. [PMID: 38250876 PMCID: PMC10820828 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) currently ranks as the third most common cancer in the United States, and its incidence is on the rise, especially among younger individuals. Despite the remarkable success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in various cancers, most CRC patients fail to respond due to intrinsic resistance mechanisms. While microsatellite instability-high phenotypes serve as a reliable positive predictive biomarker for ICI treatment, the majority of CRC patients with microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumors remain ineligible for this therapeutic approach. In this study, we investigated the role of centrosomal protein 55 (CEP55) in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment in CRC. CEP55 is overexpressed in multiple cancer types and was shown to promote tumorigenesis by upregulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Our data revealed that elevated CEP55 expression in CRC was associated with reduced T cell infiltration, contributing to immune exclusion. As CRC tumors progressed, CEP55 expression increased alongside sequential mutations in crucial driver genes (APC, KRAS, TP53, and SMAD4), indicating its involvement in tumor progression. CEP55 knockout significantly impaired tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that CEP55 plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the CEP55 knockout increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and granzyme B production, indicating improved anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, we observed reduced regulatory T cell infiltration in CEP55 knockout tumors, suggesting diminished immune suppression. Most significantly, CEP55 knockout tumors demonstrated enhanced responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibition in a clinically relevant orthotopic CRC model. Treatment with anti-PD1 significantly reduced tumor growth in CEP55 knockout tumors compared to control tumors, suggesting that inhibiting CEP55 could improve the efficacy of ICIs. Collectively, our study underscores the crucial role of CEP55 in driving immune exclusion and resistance to ICIs in CRC. Targeting CEP55 emerges as a promising therapeutic strategy to sensitize CRC to immune checkpoint inhibition, thereby improving survival outcomes for CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dechen Wangmo
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (D.W.); (T.J.G.); (X.Z.)
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Travis J. Gates
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (D.W.); (T.J.G.); (X.Z.)
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Xianda Zhao
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (D.W.); (T.J.G.); (X.Z.)
| | - Ruping Sun
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Subbaya Subramanian
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (D.W.); (T.J.G.); (X.Z.)
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
- Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Sharma P, Otto M. Multifunctional nanocomposites modulating the tumor microenvironment for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. Bioact Mater 2024; 31:440-462. [PMID: 37701452 PMCID: PMC10494322 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has gained momentum for treating malignant tumors over the past decade. Checkpoint blockade and chimeric antigen receptor cell therapy (CAR-T) have shown considerable potency against liquid and solid cancers. However, the tumor microenvironment (TME) is highly immunosuppressive and hampers the effect of currently available cancer immunotherapies on overall treatment outcomes. Advancements in the design and engineering of nanomaterials have opened new avenues to modulate the TME. Progress in the current nanocomposite technology can overcome immunosuppression and trigger robust immunotherapeutic responses by integrating synergistic functions of different molecules. We will review recent advancements in nanomedical applications and discuss specifically designed nanocomposites modulating the TME for cancer immunotherapy. In addition, we provide information on the current landscape of clinical-stage nanocomposites for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Sharma
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, ABC1 Building, 425 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Mario Otto
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, ABC1 Building, 425 N 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD), Phoenix Children's, 1919 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA
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5
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Yakou MH, Afshar-Sterle S, Ernst M, Mielke LA. Orthotopic MC-38 Allograft as a Robust Preclinical Model of Colorectal Carcinoma. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2806:197-207. [PMID: 38676804 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3858-3_14] [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] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health concern, requiring effective preclinical models for studying its development and testing therapies. Mouse models have been used, including spontaneous tumors, carcinogen exposure, and tumor cell implantation as xenografts or at orthotopic sites. Here, we describe an orthotopic preclinical model of CRC, which provides a valuable tool for studying tumor growth and the tumor microenvironment, offering a more accurate representation of human CRC compared to xenograft models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina H Yakou
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
| | - Shoukat Afshar-Sterle
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthias Ernst
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
| | - Lisa A Mielke
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
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Kaczmarek K, Więckiewicz J, Que I, Gałuszka-Bulaga A, Chan A, Siedlar M, Baran J. Human Soluble TRAIL Secreted by Modified Lactococcus lactis Bacteria Promotes Tumor Growth in the Orthotopic Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2024; 72:aite-2024-0002. [PMID: 38299562 DOI: 10.2478/aite-2024-0002] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) selectively induces apoptosis of sensitive cancer cells, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Due to its short biological half-life after intravenous administration and related clinical ineffectiveness, novel formulations of TRAIL need to be developed. Here we propose Lactococcus lactis bacteria as a vehicle for local delivery of human soluble TRAIL (hsTRAIL) in CRC. The use of common probiotics targeting guts as carriers for TRAIL could ensure its sustained release at the tumor site and extend the duration of its activity. We have already engineered hsTRAIL-secreting L.lactis bacteria and showed their effectiveness in elimination of human CRC cells in vitro and in vivo in a mouse subcutaneous model. Here, L.lactis(hsTRAIL+) were administered by gastric gavage to SCID mice with orthotopically developed HCT116 tumor in cecum, in monotherapy or in combination with metformin (MetF), already shown to enhance the hsTRAIL anti-tumor activity in subcutaneous CRC model. Oral administration of L.lactis(hsTRAIL+) resulted in significant progression of HCT116 tumors and shortening of the colon crypts. Secretion of hsTRAIL in the colon was accompanied by infiltration of the primary tumor with M2-macrophages, while MetF promoted transient colonization of the gut by L.lactis. Our study indicates that L.lactis bacteria after oral administration enable delivery of biologically active hsTRAIL to colon, however its potential therapeutic effect in CRC treatment is abolished by its pro-tumorigenic signalling, leading to the recruitment of M2-macrophages and tumor growth promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kaczmarek
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jerzy Więckiewicz
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Ivo Que
- Translational Nanobiomaterials and Imaging, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Currently: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Adrianna Gałuszka-Bulaga
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Alan Chan
- Percuros B.V., Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maciej Siedlar
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jarek Baran
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
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Song Y, Kerr TD, Sanders C, Dai L, Baxter SS, Somerville B, Baugher RN, Mellott SD, Young TB, Lawhorn HE, Plona TM, Xu B, Wei L, Hu Q, Liu S, Hutson A, Karim B, Burkett S, Difilippantonio S, Pinto L, Gebert J, Kloor M, Lipkin SM, Sei S, Shoemaker RH. Organoids and metastatic orthotopic mouse model for mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1223915. [PMID: 37746286 PMCID: PMC10516605 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1223915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Genome integrity is essential for the survival of an organism. DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (e.g., MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) play a critical role in the DNA damage response pathway for genome integrity maintenance. Germline mutations of MMR genes can lead to Lynch syndrome or constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome, resulting in an increased lifetime risk of developing cancer characterized by high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and high mutation burden. Although immunotherapy has been approved for MMR-deficient (MMRd) cancer patients, the overall response rate needs to be improved and other management options are needed. Methods To better understand the biology of MMRd cancers, elucidate the resistance mechanisms to immune modulation, and develop vaccines and therapeutic testing platforms for this high-risk population, we generated organoids and an orthotopic mouse model from intestine tumors developed in a Msh2-deficient mouse model, and followed with a detailed characterization. Results The organoids were shown to be of epithelial origin with stem cell features, to have a high frameshift mutation frequency with MSI-H and chromosome instability, and intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity. An orthotopic model using intra-cecal implantation of tumor fragments derived from organoids showed progressive tumor growth, resulting in the development of adenocarcinomas mixed with mucinous features and distant metastasis in liver and lymph node. Conclusions The established organoids with characteristics of MSI-H cancers can be used to study MMRd cancer biology. The orthotopic model, with its distant metastasis and expressing frameshift peptides, is suitable for evaluating the efficacy of neoantigen-based vaccines or anticancer drugs in combination with other therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurong Song
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Travis D. Kerr
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Chelsea Sanders
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Laboratory Animal Sciences Program, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Lisheng Dai
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Shaneen S. Baxter
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Brandon Somerville
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Ryan N. Baugher
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Stephanie D. Mellott
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Todd B. Young
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Heidi E. Lawhorn
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Teri M. Plona
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Bingfang Xu
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Genomics Laboratory, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Lei Wei
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Alan Hutson
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Baktiar Karim
- Molecular Histopathology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Sandra Burkett
- Molecular Cytogenetics Core Facility, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Simone Difilippantonio
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Laboratory Animal Sciences Program, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Ligia Pinto
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Johannes Gebert
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kloor
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Steven M. Lipkin
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Shizuko Sei
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Robert H. Shoemaker
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Berckmans Y, Ceusters J, Vankerckhoven A, Wouters R, Riva M, Coosemans A. Preclinical studies performed in appropriate models could help identify optimal timing of combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1236965. [PMID: 37744323 PMCID: PMC10512939 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1236965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have been revolutionary in the field of cancer therapy. However, their success is limited to specific indications and cancer types. Recently, the combination treatment of ICI and chemotherapy has gained more attention to overcome this limitation. Unfortunately, many clinical trials testing these combinations have provided limited success. This can partly be attributed to an inadequate choice of preclinical models and the lack of scientific rationale to select the most effective immune-oncological combination. In this review, we have analyzed the existing preclinical evidence on this topic, which is only limitedly available. Furthermore, this preclinical data indicates that besides the selection of a specific drug and dose, also the sequence or order of the combination treatment influences the study outcome. Therefore, we conclude that the success of clinical combination trials could be enhanced by improving the preclinical set up, in order to identify the optimal treatment combination and schedule to enhance the anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yani Berckmans
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Ceusters
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ann Vankerckhoven
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roxanne Wouters
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Oncoinvent AS, Oslo, Norway
| | - Matteo Riva
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosurgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) UCLouvain Namur, University Hospital of Godinne, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - An Coosemans
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Abstract
Mouse models of colorectal cancer (CRC) have been crucial in the identification of the role of genes responsible for the full range of pathology of the human disease and have proved to be dependable for testing anti-cancer drugs. Recent research points toward the relevance of tumor, angiogenic, and immune microenvironments in CRC progression to late-stage disease, as well as the treatment of it. This study examines important mouse models in CRC, discussing inherent strengths and weaknesses disclosed during their construction. It endeavors to provide both a synopsis of previous work covering how investigators have defined various models and to evaluate critically how researchers are most likely to use them in the future. Accumulated evidence regarding the metastatic process and the hope of using checkpoint inhibitors and immunological inhibitor therapies points to the need for a genetically engineered mouse model that is both immunocompetent and autochthonous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Haas Kucherlapati
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Skeltved N, Nordmaj MA, Berendtsen NT, Dagil R, Stormer EMR, Al-Nakouzi N, Jiang K, Aicher A, Heeschen C, Gustavsson T, Choudhary S, Gögenur I, Christensen JP, Theander TG, Daugaard M, Salanti A, Nielsen MA. Bispecific T cell-engager targeting oncofetal chondroitin sulfate induces complete tumor regression and protective immune memory in mice. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:106. [PMID: 37118819 PMCID: PMC10142489 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02655-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The malaria protein VAR2CSA binds oncofetal chondroitin sulfate (ofCS), a unique chondroitin sulfate, expressed on almost all mammalian cancer cells. Previously, we produced a bispecific construct targeting ofCS and human T cells based on VAR2CSA and anti-CD3 (V-aCD3Hu). V-aCD3Hu showed efficacy against xenografted tumors in immunocompromised mice injected with human immune cells at the tumor site. However, the complex effects potentially exerted by the immune system as a result of the treatment cannot occur in mice without an immune system. Here we investigate the efficacy of V-aCD3Mu as a monotherapy and combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors in mice with a fully functional immune system. METHODS We produced a bispecific construct consisting of a recombinant version of VAR2CSA coupled to an anti-murine CD3 single-chain variable fragment. Flow cytometry and ELISA were used to check cell binding capabilities and the therapeutic effect was evaluated in vitro in a killing assay. The in vivo efficacy of V-aCD3Mu was then investigated in mice with a functional immune system and established or primary syngeneic tumors in the immunologically "cold" 4T1 mammary carcinoma, B16-F10 malignant melanoma, the pancreatic KPC mouse model, and in the immunologically "hot" CT26 colon carcinoma model. RESULTS V-aCD3Mu had efficacy as a monotherapy, and the combined treatment of V-aCD3Mu and an immune checkpoint inhibitor showed enhanced effects resulting in the complete elimination of solid tumors in the 4T1, B16-F10, and CT26 models. This anti-tumor effect was abscopal and accompanied by a systemic increase in memory and activated cytotoxic and helper T cells. The combined treatment also led to a higher percentage of memory T cells in the tumor without an increase in regulatory T cells. In addition, we observed partial protection against re-challenge in a melanoma model and full protection in a breast cancer model. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that V-aCD3Mu combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor renders immunologically "cold" tumors "hot" and results in tumor elimination. Taken together, these data provide proof of concept for the further clinical development of V-aCD3 as a broad cancer therapy in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna Skeltved
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mie A Nordmaj
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nicolai T Berendtsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert Dagil
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emilie M R Stormer
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nader Al-Nakouzi
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ke Jiang
- Center for Single-Cell Omics and Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Alexandra Aicher
- Precision Immunotherapy, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Christopher Heeschen
- Center for Single-Cell Omics and Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (Torino), Italy
| | - Tobias Gustavsson
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Var2 Pharmaceuticals ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Swati Choudhary
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Var2 Pharmaceuticals ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ismail Gögenur
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen and Center for Surgical Science, Zealand University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan P Christensen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thor G Theander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Daugaard
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Var2 Pharmaceuticals ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Morten A Nielsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen and, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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11
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Shields NJ, Peyroux EM, Ferguson AL, Steain M, Neumann S, Young SL. Late-stage MC38 tumours recapitulate features of human colorectal cancer - implications for appropriate timepoint selection in preclinical studies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1152035. [PMID: 37153625 PMCID: PMC10160415 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1152035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-tumour T cell responses play a crucial role in controlling the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), making this disease a promising candidate for immunotherapy. However, responses to immune-targeted therapies are currently limited to subpopulations of patients and specific types of cancer. Clinical studies have therefore focussed on identifying biomarkers that predict immunotherapy responses and elucidating the immunological landscapes of different cancers. Meanwhile, our understanding of how preclinical tumour models resemble human disease has fallen behind, despite their crucial role in immune-targeted drug development. A deeper understanding of these models is therefore needed to improve the development of immunotherapies and the translation of findings made in these systems. MC38 colon adenocarcinoma is a widely used preclinical model, yet how it recapitulates human colorectal cancer remains poorly defined. This study investigated the tumour-T cell immune landscape of MC38 tumours using histology, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry. We demonstrate that early-stage tumours exhibit a nascent TME, lacking important immune-resistance mechanisms of clinical interest, while late-stage tumours exhibit a mature TME resembling human tumours, with desmoplasia, T cell exhaustion, and T cell exclusion. Consequently, these findings clarify appropriate timepoint selection in the MC38 model when investigating both immunotherapies and mechanisms that contribute to immunotherapy resistance. Overall, this study provides a valuable resource that will enable appropriate application of the MC38 model and expedite the development and clinical translation of new immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Shields
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Pathology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Estelle M. Peyroux
- Department of Pathology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Angela L. Ferguson
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Liver Injury and Cancer Program, Centenary Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Megan Steain
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Silke Neumann
- Department of Pathology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sarah L. Young
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Science, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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12
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Sun Y, Xiao W, Yu Y, Jiang Y, Xiao Z, Huang D, Zhong T, Li J, Xiang X, He Y, Li Z. Colorectal cancer-derived extracellular vesicles containing HSP70 enhance macrophage phagocytosis by up-regulating MARCO expression. Exp Cell Res 2023; 426:113565. [PMID: 36958650 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, we have realized that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a critical role in regulating the intercellular communication between tumor and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TDEVs) profoundly affect the functional changes of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and promote their M2 polarization. Meanwhile, macrophages have a strong phagocytic ability in phagocytosing apoptotic cells. Especially in the course of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, TAMs can phagocytose and remove apoptotic tumor cells, showing anti-inflammatory and pro-tumor effects. However, the underlying mechanisms by which TDEVs regulate macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic tumor cells have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we focused on the effect of colorectal cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (CRC-EVs) on macrophages. We demonstrated that CRC-EVs enhanced macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic CRC cells. We then determined that heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) carried in CRC-EVs was responsible for this effect by using mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis and the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Through transcriptome sequencing of macrophages, we found that the enhanced phagocytosis of macrophages was mainly due to the up-regulation of the macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO). In addition, we confirmed that the up-regulation of MARCO was mediated by the AKT-STAT3 signaling pathway. Taken together, this study revealed a novel EVs-mediated macrophage phagocytosis mechanism involved in the clearance of apoptotic tumor cells in TME. Targeting TDEVs may have potential therapeutic applications in tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research; Digestive Medicine Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China; Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Wenjun Xiao
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Yuchen Jiang
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Zhijie Xiao
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Defa Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, 341004, China
| | - Tianyu Zhong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, 341004, China
| | - Jiang Li
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Xi Xiang
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Yulong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research; Digestive Medicine Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China; Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
| | - Zhigang Li
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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13
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Watterson A, Coelho MA. Cancer immune evasion through KRAS and PD-L1 and potential therapeutic interventions. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:45. [PMID: 36864508 PMCID: PMC9979509 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01063-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic driver mutations have implications that extend beyond cancer cells themselves. Aberrant tumour cell signalling has various effects on the tumour microenvironment and anti-tumour immunity, with important consequences for therapy response and resistance. We provide an overview of how mutant RAS, one of the most prevalent oncogenic drivers in cancer, can instigate immune evasion programs at the tumour cell level and through remodelling interactions with the innate and adaptive immune cell compartments. Finally, we describe how immune evasion networks focused on RAS, and the immune checkpoint molecule PD-L1 can be disrupted through therapeutic intervention, and discuss potential strategies for combinatorial treatment. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Watterson
- Translational Cancer Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK.,Open Targets, Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew A Coelho
- Translational Cancer Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK. .,Open Targets, Cambridge, UK.
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14
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Wittwer NL, Staudacher AH, Liapis V, Cardarelli P, Warren H, Brown MP. An anti-mesothelin targeting antibody drug conjugate induces pyroptosis and ignites antitumor immunity in mouse models of cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:jitc-2022-006274. [PMID: 36878534 PMCID: PMC9990647 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that the mechanism of chemotherapy-induced cell death may influence the antitumor immune response in patients with cancer. Unlike immunologically silent apoptosis, pyroptosis is a lytic and inflammatory form of programmed cell death characterized by pore formation in the cell membrane and release of proinflammatory factors. Gasdermin E (GSDME) has recently gained attention after cleavage of GSDME by certain chemotherapeutics has been shown to elicit pyroptosis. This study investigated the immunomodulatory effects of a mesothelin-targeting antibody drug conjugate (ADC) in mouse models of breast and colon cancer. METHODS The antitumor effects of the ADC were studied in EMT6 breast cancer and CT26 colon cancer syngeneic mouse models. The immunomodulatory effects of the ADC were assessed by analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells using flow cytometry. ADC mechanism of action was evaluated by morphology, biological assays, ADC-mediated cleavage of key effector proteins, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout (KO). Finally, the antitumor effect of ADC and Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand (Flt3L) combination therapy was evaluated in tumors expressing GSDME as well as in GSDME-silenced tumors. RESULTS The data demonstrated that the ADC controlled tumor growth and stimulated anticancer immune responses. Investigation of the mechanism of action revealed that tubulysin, the cytotoxic payload of the ADC, induced cleavage of GSDME and elicited pyroptotic cell death in GSDME-expressing cells. Using GSDME KO, we showed that GSDME expression is critical for the effectiveness of the ADC as a monotherapy. Combining the ADC with Flt3L, a cytokine that expands dendritic cells in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues, restored control of GSDME KO tumors. CONCLUSIONS Together, these results show for the first time that tubulysin and a tubulysin containing ADC can elicit pyroptosis, and that this fiery cell death is critical for antitumor immunity and therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Wittwer
- Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia .,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alexander H Staudacher
- Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Vasilios Liapis
- Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Harriet Warren
- Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael P Brown
- Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Cancer Clinical Trials Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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15
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Nguyen HM, Gaikwad S, Oladejo M, Paulishak W, Wood LM. Targeting Ubiquitin-like Protein, ISG15, as a Novel Tumor Associated Antigen in Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1237. [PMID: 36831577 PMCID: PMC9954464 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women in the United States. While immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is demonstrating remarkable clinical responses, the resistance and immune-related toxicities associated with ICIs demonstrate the need to develop additional immunotherapy options for CRC patients. Cancer vaccines represent a safe and promising treatment approach for CRC. As previously developed tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-based cancer vaccines for CRC are not demonstrating promising results, we propose that interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is a novel TAA and therapeutic target for CRC. Our work demonstrates the anti-tumor efficacy of a Listeria-based vaccine targeting ISG15, designated Lm-LLO-ISG15, in an immunocompetent CRC murine model. The Lm-LLO-ISG15-mediated anti-tumor response is associated with an increased influx of functional T cells, higher production of multiple intracellular cytokines response, a lower number of regulatory T cells, and a greater ratio of effector to regulatory T cells (Teff/Treg) in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Laurence M. Wood
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
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16
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De Thoré MG, Meziani L, Deutsch E, Mondini M. Cytofluorometric characterization of the myeloid compartment of irradiated mouse tumors. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 174:17-30. [PMID: 36710048 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The use of ionizing radiation (IR) is a cornerstone for the treatment of cancer and radiotherapy (RT) is used in roughly 50% of cancer patients. It is now well established that RT exerts widespread effects on the tumor stroma, including the immune environment. Together with its deeply characterized effects on the lymphoid compartment, RT also deeply affects the myeloid cell compartment. Fluorescence-activated flow cytometry is one of the most widely used technologies in immunology, allowing the multiparametric analysis of cells on a cell-by-cell basis. Here, we provide a detailed flow cytometry protocol to analyze the myeloid cell populations of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive TC1/Luc tumors engrafted in the oral mucosa of immunocompetent mice, and to evaluate their modulations in response to RT. The same method, with slight modifications, can be used to study the tumor myeloid cells from a variety of other mouse tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lydia Meziani
- Gustave Roussy, INSERM U1030, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Eric Deutsch
- Gustave Roussy, INSERM U1030, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.
| | - Michele Mondini
- Gustave Roussy, INSERM U1030, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.
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17
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Denis M, Mathé D, Micoud M, Choffour PA, Grasselly C, Matera EL, Dumontet C. Impact of mouse model tumor implantation site on acquired resistance to anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1011943. [PMID: 36703964 PMCID: PMC9872099 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1011943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The use of tumor subcutaneous (SC) implantations rather than orthotopic sites is likely to induce a significant bias, in particular, in the field of immunotherapy. Methods In this study, we developed and characterized MC38 models, implanted subcutaneously and orthotopically, which were either sensitive or rendered resistant to anti-PD1 therapy. We characterized the tumor immune infiltrate by flow cytometry at baseline and after treatment. Results and Discussion Our results demonstrate several differences between SC and orthotopic models at basal state, which tend to become similar after therapy. These results emphasize the need to take into account tumor implantation sites when performing preclinical studies with immunotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Denis
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France,R&D Department, Antineo, Lyon, France
| | | | - Manon Micoud
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | - Chloé Grasselly
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Eva-Laure Matera
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Charles Dumontet
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France,Hematology Department, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France,*Correspondence: Charles Dumontet,
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18
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Pedersen KK, Høyer-Hansen MH, Litman T, Hædersdal M, Olesen UH. Topical Delivery of Hedgehog Inhibitors: Current Status and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214191. [PMID: 36430669 PMCID: PMC9692957 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic treatment with hedgehog inhibitors (HHis) is available to treat basal cell carcinomas but their utility is limited by adverse effects. Topical delivery methods may reduce adverse effects, but successful topical treatment depends on sufficient skin uptake, biological response, and time in tumor tissue. The aim of this review was to evaluate the current status of topical HHi delivery for BCCs and discuss barriers for translating systemic HHis into topical treatments. A literature search identified 16 preclinical studies and 7 clinical trials on the topical delivery of 12 HHis that have been clinically tested on BCCs. Preclinical studies on drug uptake demonstrated that novel formulations, and delivery- and pre-treatment techniques enhanced topical HHi delivery. Murine studies showed that the topical delivery of sonidegib, itraconazole, vitamin D₃ and CUR-61414 led to biological responses and tumor remission. In clinical trials, only topical patidegib and sonidegib led to at least a partial response in 26/86 BCCs and 30/34 patients, respectively. However, histological clearance was not observed in the samples analyzed. In conclusion, the incomplete clinical response could be due to poor HHi uptake, biodistribution or biological response over time. Novel topical delivery techniques may improve HHi delivery, but additional research on cutaneous pharmacokinetics and biological response is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian Kåber Pedersen
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital—Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, 2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Thomas Litman
- Molecular Biomedicine, LEO Pharma A/S, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Merete Hædersdal
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital—Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, 2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Uffe Høgh Olesen
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital—Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, 2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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19
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Lee J, Kim D, Le QV, Oh YK. Nanotherapeutics for immune network modulation in tumor microenvironments. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:1066-1087. [PMID: 34844846 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has shown promise in cancer treatment, and is thus drawing increasing interest in this field. While the standard chemotherapy- and/or radiotherapy-based cancer treatments aim to directly kill cancer cells, immunotherapy uses host immune cell surveillance to fight cancer. In the tumor environment, there is a close relationship between tumor cells and the adjacent immune cells, which are largely suppressed by cancer-related regulation of immune checkpoints, immune-suppressive cytokines, and metabolic factors. The immune modulators currently approved for cancer treatment remain limited by issues with dose tolerance and insufficient efficacy. Researchers have developed and tested various nano-delivery systems with the goal of improving the treatment outcome of these drugs. By encapsulating immune modulators in particles and directing their tissue accumulation, some such systems have decreased immune-related toxicity while sharpening the antitumor response. Surface-ligand modification of nanoparticles has allowed drugs to be delivered to specific immune cells types. Researchers have also studied strategies for depleting or reprogramming the immune-suppressive cells to recover the immune environment. Combining a nanomaterial with an external stimulus has been used to induce immunogenic cell death; this favors the inflammatory environment found in tumor tissues to promote antitumor immunity. The present review covers the most recent strategies aimed at modulating the tumor immune environment, and discusses the challenges and future perspectives in developing nanoparticles for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaiwoo Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyoon Kim
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Quoc-Viet Le
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yu-Kyoung Oh
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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20
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Jiang Z, Zhang W, Zhang J, Liu T, Xing J, Zhang H, Tang D. Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems: A New Weapon for Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Nanomedicine 2022; 17:4677-4696. [PMID: 36211025 PMCID: PMC9541303 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s376216] [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: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy, a major breakthrough in cancer treatment, has been successfully applied to treat a number of tumors. However, given the presence of factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that impede immunotherapy, only a small proportion of patients achieve a good clinical response. With the ability to increase permeability and cross biological barriers, nanomaterials have been successfully applied to deliver immunotherapeutic agents, thus realizing the anti-cancer therapeutic potential of therapeutic agents. This has driven a wave of research into systems for the delivery of immunotherapeutic agents, which has resulted in widespread interest in nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems. Nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems are able to overcome the challenges from TME and thus achieve good results in cancer immunotherapy. If it can make a breakthrough in improving biocompatibility and reducing cytotoxicity, it will be more widely used in clinical practice. Different types of nanomaterials may also have some subtle differences in enhancing cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, delivery systems made of nanomaterials loaded with drugs, such as cytotoxic drugs, cytokines, and adjuvants, could be used for cancer immunotherapy because they avoid the toxicity and side effects associated with these drugs, thereby enabling their reuse. Therefore, further insights into nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems will provide more effective treatment options for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengting Jiang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tian Liu
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Juan Xing
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dong Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Dong Tang, Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, People’s Republic of China, Email
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21
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Chin A, Bieberich CJ, Stewart TM, Casero RA. Polyamine Depletion Strategies in Cancer: Remodeling the Tumor Immune Microenvironment to Enhance Anti-Tumor Responses. Med Sci (Basel) 2022; 10:medsci10020031. [PMID: 35736351 PMCID: PMC9228337 DOI: 10.3390/medsci10020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyamine biosynthesis is frequently dysregulated in cancers, and enhanced flux increases intracellular polyamines necessary for promoting cell growth, proliferation, and function. Polyamine depletion strategies demonstrate efficacy in reducing tumor growth and increasing survival in animal models of cancer; however, mechanistically, the cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic alterations within the tumor microenvironment underlying positive treatment outcomes are not well understood. Recently, investigators have demonstrated that co-targeting polyamine biosynthesis and transport alters the immune landscape. Although the polyamine synthesis-targeting drug 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is well tolerated in humans and is FDA-approved for African trypanosomiasis, its clinical benefit in treating established cancers has not yet been fully realized; however, combination therapies targeting compensatory mechanisms have shown tolerability and efficacy in animal models and are currently being tested in clinical trials. As demonstrated in pre-clinical models, polyamine blocking therapy (PBT) reduces immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment and enhances the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Thus, DFMO may sensitize tumors to other therapeutics, including immunotherapies and chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Chin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA; (A.C.); (C.J.B.)
| | - Charles J. Bieberich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA; (A.C.); (C.J.B.)
- University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Tracy Murray Stewart
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA;
| | - Robert A. Casero
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA;
- Correspondence:
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22
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Kimoto A, Kunisho S, Morita R, Onishi M, Zhou Q, Ono A, Miki D, Shimamoto F, Kitadai Y. Low-Dose Alcohol-Induced Inhibition of Mouse Orthotopically Transplanted Tumors Is Associated with T-Cell Response. Pathobiology 2022; 90:22-30. [PMID: 35576902 DOI: 10.1159/000524478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The effects of low-dose alcohol consumption on colorectal cancer development are not well understood. Epidemiological studies have reported that people who consume small amounts of alcohol have lower mortality rates than both nondrinkers and heavy drinkers. This phenomenon has been labeled the "J-curve effect" of alcohol. This study examined the effects of low-dose alcohol (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) on tumor growth in a transplant colon cancer model. METHODS BALB/c and BALB/c nude mice were used to analyze T-cell immunity. Syngeneic CT26 murine colon cancer cells were implanted into the cecal wall, and the resulting T-cell immune effects were monitored. RESULTS The growth of orthotopic tumors was markedly inhibited upon ingestion of low-dose (0.5%) alcohol compared with that in the control mice. In contrast, cells from the same line were injected into the cecal wall of nude mice, and tumor growth inhibition was not observed. Histopathological and RNA sequence analyses were performed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying tumor growth inhibition. An increase in tumor CD8+ T lymphocytes and changes in cytokine levels were observed. Microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of cecal contents was performed and revealed Mucispirillum schaedleri and Clostridium cocleatum showed decreased and increased abundance, respectively, in the alcohol group. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Ingesting a threshold amount of alcohol results in the infiltration of T lymphocytes, which may enhance immune responsiveness in mouse colorectal cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Kimoto
- Department of Health and Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan.,Faculty of Health of Sciences, Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shoma Kunisho
- Department of Health and Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Ryohei Morita
- Department of Health and Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Minako Onishi
- Department of Health and Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Qian Zhou
- Department of Health and Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Atsushi Ono
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Daiki Miki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Fumio Shimamoto
- Faculty of Health of Sciences, Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kitadai
- Department of Health and Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
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23
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Guan Y, Feng D, Yin B, Li K, Wang J. Immune-related dissociated response as a specific atypical response pattern in solid tumors with immune checkpoint blockade. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2022; 14:17588359221096877. [PMID: 35547094 PMCID: PMC9083034 DOI: 10.1177/17588359221096877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade using immune checkpoint inhibitors, including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen–4 and programmed cell death protein-1/programmed cell death ligand–1 inhibitors, has revolutionized systematic treatment for advanced solid tumors, with unprecedented survival benefit and tolerable toxicity. Nivolumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, avelumab, durvalumab, atezolizumab, and ipilimumab are currently approved standard treatment options for various human cancer types. The response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors, however, is unsatisfactory, and unexpectedly, atypical radiological responses, including delayed responses, pseudoprogression, hyperprogression, and dissociated responses (DRs), are observed in a small subgroup of patients. The benefit of immunotherapy for advanced patients who exhibit atypical responses is underestimated according to the conventional response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST). In particular, DR is considered a mixed radiological or heterogeneous response pattern when responding and nonresponding lesions or new lesions coexist simultaneously. The rate of DR reported in different studies encompass a wide range of 3.3–47.8% based on diverse definition of DR. Although DR is also associated with treatment efficacy and a favorable prognosis, it is different from pseudoprogression, which has concordant progressive lesions and can be regularly captured by immune RECIST. This review article aims to comprehensively determine the frequency, definition, radiological evaluation, probable molecular mechanisms, prognosis, and clinical management of immune-related DR and help clinicians and radiologists objectively and correctly interpret this specific atypical response and better understand and manage cancer patients with immunotherapy and guarantee their best clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Guan
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China Shandong Lung Cancer Institute, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Dongfeng Feng
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China Shandong Lung Cancer Institute, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Beibei Yin
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China Shandong Lung Cancer Institute, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Kun Li
- Department of PET/CT, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, No. 16766, Jingshi Road, Jinan 250014, China
- Shandong Lung Cancer Institute, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, Jinan, China
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24
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LaFleur MW, Sharpe AH. CRISPR Screens to Identify Regulators of Tumor Immunity. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY 2022; 6:103-122. [PMID: 35989706 PMCID: PMC9389862 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-070120-094725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), have been used in a wide range of tumor types with immense clinical benefit. However, ICB does not work in all patients, and attempts to combine ICB with other immune-based therapies have not lived up to their initial promise. Thus, there is a significant unmet need to discover new targets and combination therapies to extend the benefits of immunotherapy to more patients. Systems biology approaches are well suited for addressing this problem because these approaches enable evaluation of many gene targets simultaneously and ranking their relative importance for a phenotype of interest. As such, loss-of-function CRISPR screens are an emerging set of tools being used to prioritize gene targets for modulating pathways of interest in tumor and immune cells. This review describes the first screens performed to discover cancer immunotherapy targets and the technological advances that will enable next-generation screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin W LaFleur
- Department of Immunology and Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arlene H Sharpe
- Department of Immunology and Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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25
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Tian H, Zhao H, Qu B, Chu X, Xin X, Zhang Q, Li W, Yang S. TRIM24 promotes colorectal cancer cell progression via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:831-848. [PMID: 35273688 PMCID: PMC8902576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of TRIM24 is observed in several human cancers and is correlated with an increase in the progression and metastasis of tumors. In this study, we investigated the changes in activity and biochemical events that occur after overexpression of TRIM24 in a colorectal cancer (CRC) mouse model. We observed upregulated TRIM24 expression in CRC tissues compared to that in nonneoplastic adjacent tissues. Enhanced expression of TRIM24 was significantly associated with the status of lymph nodes and poor recurrence-free survival of patients with CRC. The role of TRIM24 in CRC tumor growth was investigated using an orthotopic model of MC38 mouse colon cancer cells overexpressing TRIM24, and CRC tumor growth was found to increase dramatically by TRIM24 overexpression. Moreover, angiogenesis was stimulated by TRIM24 overexpression via the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Overexpression of TRIM24 in MC38 cells led to an increase in the protein levels of ALDH1 and other stem cell markers. In addition, we observed that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required for the function of TRIM24 in CRC cells. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were found to be recruited by tumor cells overexpressing TRIM24 via the increased expression of CCL2/5, CSF-1, and VEGF, further enhancing CRC tumor growth. In conclusion, overexpression of TRIM24 facilitates the growth of CRC and the remodeling of the tumor stroma via angiogenesis stimulation and TAM recruitment. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a possible crucial link in the TRIM24-associated progression of tumors, which may provide opportunities for pharmacological intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Tian
- Oncology Department, The 4th People’s Hospital of ShenyangShenyang 110013, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongmei Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The People’s Hospital of China Medical University (The People’s Hospital of Liaoning Province)Shenyang 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Bo Qu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The People’s Hospital of China Medical University (The People’s Hospital of Liaoning Province)Shenyang 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaoli Chu
- Oncology Department, The 4th People’s Hospital of ShenyangShenyang 110013, Liaoning, China
| | - Xing Xin
- Oncology Department, The 4th People’s Hospital of ShenyangShenyang 110013, Liaoning, China
| | - Qingwei Zhang
- General Surgery Dept. VI Ward (Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery), The People’s Hospital of China Medical University (The People’s Hospital of Liaoning Province)Shenyang 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Weizhou Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The People’s Hospital of China Medical University (The People’s Hospital of Liaoning Province)Shenyang 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Shida Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The People’s Hospital of China Medical University (The People’s Hospital of Liaoning Province)Shenyang 110016, Liaoning, China
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26
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PD-L1 near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy of Ovarian Cancer Model. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030619. [PMID: 35158887 PMCID: PMC8833482 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Despite advances in surgical approaches and drug development, ovarian cancer is still a leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies. Patients diagnosed with late-stage disease are treated with aggressive surgical resection and chemotherapy, but recurrence with resistant disease is often observed following treatment. There is a critical need for effective therapy for late-stage ovarian cancer. Photoimmunotherapy (PIT), using an antibody conjugated to a near infrared (NIR) dye, constitutes an effective theranostic strategy to detect and selectively eliminate targeted cell populations. (2) Methods: Here, we are targeting program death ligand 1 (PD-L1) using NIR-PIT in a syngeneic mouse model of ovarian cancer. PD-L1 PIT-mediated cytotoxicity was quantified in RAW264.7 macrophages and ID8-Defb29-VEGF cells in culture, and in vivo with orthotopic ID8-Defb29-VEGF tumors. (3) Results: Treatment efficacy was observed both in vitro and in vivo. (4) Conclusions: Our data highlight the need for further investigations to assess the potential of using NIR-PIT for ovarian cancer therapy to improve the treatment outcome of ovarian cancer.
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27
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Human CD22-Transgenic, Primary Murine Lymphoma Challenges Immunotherapies in Organ-Specific Tumor Microenvironments. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910433. [PMID: 34638774 PMCID: PMC8508822 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910433] [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] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted immunotherapies have greatly changed treatment of patients with B cell malignancies. To further enhance immunotherapies, research increasingly focuses on the tumor microenvironment (TME), which differs considerably by organ site. However, immunocompetent mouse models of disease to study immunotherapies targeting human molecules within organ-specific TME are surprisingly rare. We developed a myc-driven, primary murine lymphoma model expressing a human-mouse chimeric CD22 (h/mCD22). Stable engraftment of three distinct h/mCD22+ lymphoma was established after subcutaneous and systemic injection. However, only systemic lymphoma showed immune infiltration that reflected human disease. In this model, myeloid cells supported lymphoma growth and showed a phenotype of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The human CD22-targeted immunotoxin Moxetumomab was highly active against h/mCD22+ lymphoma and similarly reduced infiltration of bone marrow and spleen of all three models up to 90-fold while efficacy against lymphoma in lymph nodes varied substantially, highlighting relevance of organ-specific TME. As in human aggressive lymphoma, anti-PD-L1 as monotherapy was not efficient. However, anti-PD-L1 enhanced efficacy of Moxetumomab suggesting potential for future clinical application. The novel model system of h/mCD22+ lymphoma provides a unique platform to test targeted immunotherapies and may be amenable for other human B cell targets such as CD19 and CD20.
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28
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Mowat C, Mosley SR, Namdar A, Schiller D, Baker K. Anti-tumor immunity in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancers requires type I IFN-driven CCL5 and CXCL10. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20210108. [PMID: 34297038 PMCID: PMC8313406 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20210108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancers (CRCs) deficient in DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) contain abundant CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) responding to the abundant neoantigens from their unstable genomes. Priming of such tumor-targeted TILs first requires recruitment of CD8+ T cells into the tumors, implying that this is an essential prerequisite of successful dMMR anti-tumor immunity. We have discovered that selective recruitment and activation of systemic CD8+ T cells into dMMR CRCs strictly depend on overexpression of CCL5 and CXCL10 due to endogenous activation of cGAS/STING and type I IFN signaling by damaged DNA. TIL infiltration into orthotopic dMMR CRCs is neoantigen-independent and followed by induction of a resident memory-like phenotype key to the anti-tumor response. CCL5 and CXCL10 could be up-regulated by common chemotherapies in all CRCs, indicating that facilitating CD8+ T cell recruitment underlies their efficacy. Induction of CCL5 and CXCL10 thus represents a tractable therapeutic strategy to induce TIL recruitment into CRCs, where local priming can be maximized even in neoantigen-poor CRCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Mowat
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Afshin Namdar
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Daniel Schiller
- Department of Surgery, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Kristi Baker
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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29
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Yuan C, Zhao X, Wangmo D, Alshareef D, Gates TJ, Subramanian S. Tumor models to assess immune response and tumor-microbiome interactions in colorectal cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 231:107981. [PMID: 34480964 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite significant advances over the past 2 decades in preventive screening and therapy aimed at improving patient survival, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. The average 5-year survival rate of CRC patients with positive regional lymph nodes is only 40%, while less than 5% of patients with distant metastases survive beyond 5 years. There is a critical need to develop novel therapies that can improve overall survival in patients with poor prognoses, particularly since 60% of them are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Pertinently, immune checkpoint blockade therapy has dramatically changed how we treat CRC patients with microsatellite-instable high tumors. Furthermore, accumulating evidence shows that changes in gut microbiota are associated with the regulation of host antitumor immune response and cancer progression. Appropriate animal models are essential to deciphering the complex mechanisms of host antitumor immune response and tumor-gut microbiome metabolic interactions. Here, we discuss various mouse models of colorectal cancer that are developed to address key questions on tumor immune response and tumor-microbiota interactions. These CRC models will also serve as resourceful tools for effective preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ce Yuan
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Xianda Zhao
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Dechen Wangmo
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Duha Alshareef
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Travis J Gates
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America
| | - Subbaya Subramanian
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States of America.
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30
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Mojtahedzadeh S, Opsahl A, Aguilar JK, Li D, Streiner N, Wang J, Trajkovic D, Boucher G, Coskran T, O'Neil SP, Ram S. Characterizing Intra-Tumor and Inter-Tumor Variability of Immune Cell Infiltrates in Murine Syngeneic Tumors. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2021; 191:2133-2146. [PMID: 34428423 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Murine tumors are indispensable model systems in preclinical immuno-oncology research. While immunologic heterogeneity is well-known to be an important factor that can influence treatment outcome, there is a severe paucity of data concerning the nature of this heterogeneity in murine tumor models. Using serial sectioning methodology combined with IHC analysis and whole-slide image analysis, the depth-dependent variation in immune-cell abundance in tumor specimens was investigated at single-cell resolution. Specifically, intra- and intertumor variability in cell density of nine immune-cell biomarkers was quantified in multiple murine tumor models. The analysis showed that intertumor variability was typically the dominant source of variation in measurements of immune-cell densities. Statistical power analysis revealed the effect of group size and variance in immune-cell density on the predictive power of detecting a statistically meaningful fold-change in immune-cell density. Intertumor variability in the ratio of immune-cell densities showed distinct patterns in select tumor models and revealed the existence of strong correlations between select biomarker pairs. Furthermore, the relative proportion of immune cells at different depths across tumor samples was preserved in some but not all tumor models, thereby revealing the existence of compositional heterogeneity. Taken together, these results reveal novel insights into the nature of immunologic heterogeneity, which is not accessible through typical omics approaches.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Biological Variation, Individual
- Cell Count
- Chemotaxis, Leukocyte/physiology
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Immunophenotyping
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/pathology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neoplasm Transplantation
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Transplantation, Isogeneic
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Mojtahedzadeh
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Alan Opsahl
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Joan-Kristel Aguilar
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Dingzhou Li
- Drug Safety Statistics, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Nicole Streiner
- Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Jinwei Wang
- Oncology Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Dusko Trajkovic
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Germaine Boucher
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Timothy Coskran
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Shawn P O'Neil
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California
| | - Sripad Ram
- Departments of Global Pathology and Investigative Toxicology, Pfizer, Inc., San Diego, California.
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31
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Esteves M, Monteiro MP, Duarte JA. The Effects of Physical Exercise on Tumor Vasculature: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Int J Sports Med 2021; 42:1237-1249. [PMID: 34341974 DOI: 10.1055/a-1533-1876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A wealth of evidence supports an association between physical exercise, decreased tumor growth rate, and reduced risk of cancer mortality. In this context, the tumor vascular microenvironment may play a key role in modulating tumor biologic behavior. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the evidence regarding the effects of physical exercise on tumor vasculature in pre-clinical studies. We performed a computerized research on the PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO databases to identify pre-clinical studies that evaluated the effect of physical exercise on tumor vascular outcomes. Mean differences were calculated through a random effects model. The present systematic review included 13 studies involving 373 animals. From these, 11 studies evaluated chronic intratumoral vascular adaptations and 2 studies assessed the acute intratumoral vascular adaptations to physical exercise. The chronic intratumoral vascular adaptations resulted in higher tumor microvessel density in 4 studies, increased tumor perfusion in 2 studies, and reduced intratumoral hypoxia in 3 studies. Quantitatively, regular physical exercise induced an increased tumor vascularization of 2.13 [1.07, 3.20] (p<0.0001). The acute intratumoral vascular adaptations included increased vascular conductance and reduced vascular resistance, which improved tumor perfusion and attenuated intratumoral hypoxia. In pre-clinical studies, physical exercise seems to improve tumor vascularization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mário Esteves
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Experimental Morphology, CIAFEL, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Teaching Hospital of the Fernando Pessoa University, Gondomar, Portugal
| | - Mariana P Monteiro
- Department of Anatomy, Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jose Alberto Duarte
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Experimental Morphology, CIAFEL, Porto, Portugal.,TOXRUN - Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, Gandra, Portugal
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32
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Dutta R, Khalil R, Mayilsamy K, Green R, Howell M, Bharadwaj S, Mohapatra SS, Mohapatra S. Combination Therapy of Mithramycin A and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer in an Orthotopic Murine Model. Front Immunol 2021; 12:706133. [PMID: 34381456 PMCID: PMC8350740 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.706133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The axis of Programmed cell death-1 receptor (PD-1) with its ligand (PD-L1) plays a critical role in colorectal cancer (CRC) in escaping immune surveillance, and blocking this axis has been found to be effective in a subset of patients. Although blocking PD-L1 has been shown to be effective in 5-10% of patients, the majority of the cohorts show resistance to this checkpoint blockade (CB) therapy. Multiple factors assist in the growth of resistance to CB, among which T cell exhaustion and immunosuppressive effects of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a critical role along with other tumor intrinsic factors. We have previously shown the polyketide antibiotic, Mithramycin-A (Mit-A), an effective agent in killing cancer stem cells (CSCs) in vitro and in vivo in a subcutaneous murine model. Since TME plays a pivotal role in CB therapy, we tested the immunomodulatory efficacy of Mit-A with anti-PD-L1 mAb (αPD-L1) combination therapy in an immunocompetent MC38 syngeneic orthotopic CRC mouse model. Tumors and spleens were analyzed by flow cytometry for the distinct immune cell populations affected by the treatment, in addition to RT-PCR for tumor samples. We demonstrated the combination treatment decreases tumor growth, thus increasing the effectiveness of the CB. Mit-A in the presence of αPD-L1 significantly increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and decreased immunosuppressive granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and anti-inflammatory macrophages in the TME. Our results revealed Mit-A in combination with αPD-L1 has the potential for augmented CB therapy by turning an immunologically "cold" into "hot" TME in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinku Dutta
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Roukiah Khalil
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Karthick Mayilsamy
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Ryan Green
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Mark Howell
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Srinivas Bharadwaj
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Shyam S. Mohapatra
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Subhra Mohapatra
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Center for Research and Education in Nano-Bioengineering, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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33
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Kiljan M, Weil S, Vásquez-Torres A, Hettich M, Mayer M, Ibruli O, Reinscheid M, Heßelmann I, Cai J, Niu LN, Sahbaz Y, Baues C, Baus WW, Kamp F, Marnitz S, Herter-Sprie GS, Herter JM. CyberKnife radiation therapy as a platform for translational mouse studies. Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 97:1261-1269. [PMID: 34043466 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1934749] [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: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Radiation therapy (RT) is a common nonsurgical treatment in the management of patients with cancer. While genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM) recapitulate human disease, conventional linear particle accelerator systems are not suited for state-of-the-art, imageguided targeted RT (IGRT) of these murine tumors. We employed the CyberKnife (CK; Accuray) platform for IGRT of GEMM-derived non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS GEMM-derived KrasLSL-G12D/+/Trp53fl/fl -driven NSCLC flank tumors were irradiated using the CK RT platform. We applied IGRT of 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy using field sizes of 5-12.5 mm to average gross tumor volumes (GTV) of 0.9 cm3 using Xsight Spine Tracking (Accuray). RESULTS We found that 0 mm planning target volume (PTV) margin is sufficient for IGRT of murine tumors using the CK. We observed that higher RT doses (6-8 Gy) decreased absolute cell numbers of tumor infiltrating leukocytes (TIL) by approximately half compared to low doses (2-4 Gy) within 1 h, but even with low dose RT (2 Gy) TIL were found to be reduced after 8-24 h. CONCLUSION We here demonstrate that the CK RT system allows for targeted IGRT of murine tumors with high precision and constitutes a novel promising platform for translational mouse RT studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Kiljan
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sabrina Weil
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andres Vásquez-Torres
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Meike Hettich
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marimel Mayer
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Olta Ibruli
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Reinscheid
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Isabelle Heßelmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jiali Cai
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Li-Na Niu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yagmur Sahbaz
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian Baues
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W Baus
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Florian Kamp
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Simone Marnitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
| | - Grit S Herter-Sprie
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan M Herter
- Department of Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife Center, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Duesseldorf, Cologne, Germany
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Ho WJ, Erbe R, Danilova L, Phyo Z, Bigelow E, Stein-O'Brien G, Thomas DL, Charmsaz S, Gross N, Woolman S, Cruz K, Munday RM, Zaidi N, Armstrong TD, Sztein MB, Yarchoan M, Thompson ED, Jaffee EM, Fertig EJ. Multi-omic profiling of lung and liver tumor microenvironments of metastatic pancreatic cancer reveals site-specific immune regulatory pathways. Genome Biol 2021; 22:154. [PMID: 33985562 PMCID: PMC8118107 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02363-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) are diagnosed at the metastatic stage, and standard therapies have limited activity with a dismal 5-year survival rate of only 8%. The liver and lung are the most common sites of PDAC metastasis, and each have been differentially associated with prognoses and responses to systemic therapies. A deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular landscape within the tumor microenvironment (TME) metastasis at these different sites is critical to informing future therapeutic strategies against metastatic PDAC. RESULTS By leveraging combined mass cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and RNA sequencing, we identify key regulatory pathways that distinguish the liver and lung TMEs in a preclinical mouse model of metastatic PDAC. We demonstrate that the lung TME generally exhibits higher levels of immune infiltration, immune activation, and pro-immune signaling pathways, whereas multiple immune-suppressive pathways are emphasized in the liver TME. We then perform further validation of these preclinical findings in paired human lung and liver metastatic samples using immunohistochemistry from PDAC rapid autopsy specimens. Finally, in silico validation with transfer learning between our mouse model and TCGA datasets further demonstrates that many of the site-associated features are detectable even in the context of different primary tumors. CONCLUSIONS Determining the distinctive immune-suppressive features in multiple liver and lung TME datasets provides further insight into the tissue specificity of molecular and cellular pathways, suggesting a potential mechanism underlying the discordant clinical responses that are often observed in metastatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Jin Ho
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
- The Johns Hopkins Cancer Convergence Institute, Baltimore, USA
- Skip Viragh Center for Pancreatic Cancer, Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 4M07 Bunting Blaustein Cancer Research Building, 1650 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Rossin Erbe
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Ludmila Danilova
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Zaw Phyo
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Emma Bigelow
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | | | - Dwayne L Thomas
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Soren Charmsaz
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Nicole Gross
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Skylar Woolman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Kayla Cruz
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Rebecca M Munday
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Neeha Zaidi
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
- Skip Viragh Center for Pancreatic Cancer, Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 4M07 Bunting Blaustein Cancer Research Building, 1650 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Todd D Armstrong
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Marcelo B Sztein
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Yarchoan
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
| | - Elizabeth D Thompson
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA
- Skip Viragh Center for Pancreatic Cancer, Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 4M07 Bunting Blaustein Cancer Research Building, 1650 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Jaffee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA.
- The Johns Hopkins Cancer Convergence Institute, Baltimore, USA.
- Skip Viragh Center for Pancreatic Cancer, Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 4M07 Bunting Blaustein Cancer Research Building, 1650 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - Elana J Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway Suite 1101E, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA.
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
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35
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Preclinical models and technologies to advance nanovaccine development. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 172:148-182. [PMID: 33711401 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable success of targeted immunotherapies is revolutionizing cancer treatment. However, tumor heterogeneity and low immunogenicity, in addition to several tumor-associated immunosuppression mechanisms are among the major factors that have precluded the success of cancer vaccines as targeted cancer immunotherapies. The exciting outcomes obtained in patients upon the injection of tumor-specific antigens and adjuvants intratumorally, reinvigorated interest in the use of nanotechnology to foster the delivery of vaccines to address cancer unmet needs. Thus, bridging nano-based vaccine platform development and predicted clinical outcomes the selection of the proper preclinical model will be fundamental. Preclinical models have revealed promising outcomes for cancer vaccines. However, only few cases were associated with clinical responses. This review addresses the major challenges related to the translation of cancer nano-based vaccines to the clinic, discussing the requirements for ex vivo and in vivo models of cancer to ensure the translation of preclinical success to patients.
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36
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Gutierrez WR, Scherer A, McGivney GR, Brockman QR, Knepper-Adrian V, Laverty EA, Roughton GA, Dodd RD. Divergent immune landscapes of primary and syngeneic Kras-driven mouse tumor models. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1098. [PMID: 33441747 PMCID: PMC7806664 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80216-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune cells play critical functions in cancer, and mice with intact immune systems are vital to understanding tumor immunology. Both genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) and syngeneic cell transplant approaches use immunocompetent mice to define immune-dependent events in tumor development and progression. Due to their rapid and reproducible nature, there is expanded interest in developing new syngeneic tools from established primary tumor models. However, few studies have examined the extent that syngeneic tumors reflect the immune profile of their originating primary models. Here, we describe comprehensive immunophenotyping of two well-established GEMMs and four new syngeneic models derived from these parental primary tumors. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic analysis comparing immune landscapes between primary and orthotopic syngeneic tumors. These models all use the same well-defined human-relevant driver mutations, arise at identical orthotopic locations, and are generated in mice of the same background strain. This allows for a direct and focused comparison of tumor immune landscapes in carefully controlled mouse models. We identify key differences between the immune infiltrate of GEMM models and their corresponding syngeneic tumors. Most notable is the divergence of T cell populations, with different proportions of CD8+ T cells and regulatory T cells across several models. We also observe immune variation across syngeneic tumors derived from the same primary model. These findings highlight the importance of immune variance across mouse modeling approaches, which has strong implications for the design of rigorous and reproducible translational studies.
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Grants
- P30 CA086862 NCI NIH HHS
- T32 GM007337 NIGMS NIH HHS
- T32 GM067795 NIGMS NIH HHS
- Pharmacology Training Grant, University of Iowa, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Iowa, United States
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, United States
- Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Oncology Group, University of Iowa, United States
- NCI Core Grant, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, United States
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Affiliation(s)
- Wade R Gutierrez
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, 285 Newton Rd, 3269C CBRB, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Amanda Scherer
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Gavin R McGivney
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, 285 Newton Rd, 3269C CBRB, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Qierra R Brockman
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | | | - Emily A Laverty
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Grace A Roughton
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Rebecca D Dodd
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, 285 Newton Rd, 3269C CBRB, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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Kaymak I, Williams KS, Cantor JR, Jones RG. Immunometabolic Interplay in the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancer Cell 2021; 39:28-37. [PMID: 33125860 PMCID: PMC7837268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Immune cells' metabolism influences their differentiation and function. Given that a complex interplay of environmental factors within the tumor microenvironment (TME) can have a profound impact on the metabolic activities of immune, stromal, and tumor cell types, there is emerging interest to advance understanding of these diverse metabolic phenotypes in the TME. Here, we discuss cell-extrinsic contributions to the metabolic activities of immune cells. Then, considering recent technical advances in experimental systems and metabolic profiling technologies, we propose future directions to better understand how immune cells meet their metabolic demands in the TME, which can be leveraged for therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Kaymak
- Metabolic and Nutritional Programming, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kelsey S Williams
- Metabolic and Nutritional Programming, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jason R Cantor
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53715, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Russell G Jones
- Metabolic and Nutritional Programming, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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38
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Allen SD, Liu X, Jiang J, Liao YP, Chang CH, Nel AE, Meng H. Immune checkpoint inhibition in syngeneic mouse cancer models by a silicasome nanocarrier delivering a GSK3 inhibitor. Biomaterials 2020; 269:120635. [PMID: 33422940 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Checkpoint blocking antibodies that interfere in the PD-1/PD-L1 axis provide effective cancer immunotherapy for tumors that are immune inflamed or induced to become "hot". It has also been demonstrated that a small molecule inhibitor of the signaling hub kinase GSK3 can interfere in the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in T-cells by suppressing PD-1 expression. This provides an alternative approach to intervening in the PD-1/PD-L1 axis to provide cancer immunotherapy. In this communication, we demonstrate the remote loading of GSK3 inhibitor AZD1080 into the porous interior of mesoporous silica nanoparticles coated with a lipid bilayer (a.k.a. silicasomes). In a MC38 colon cancer model, intravenous injection (IV) of silicasome-encapsulated AZD1080 significantly improved biodistribution and drug delivery to the tumor site. The improved drug delivery was accompanied by cytotoxic MC38 tumor cell killing by perforin-releasing CD8+ T-cells, exhibiting reduced PD-1 expression. IV injection of encapsulated AZD1080 also resulted in significant tumor shrinkage in other syngeneic mouse tumor models, including another colorectal tumor (CT26), as well as pancreas (KPC) and lung (LLC) cancer models. Not only was the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated AZD1080 similar or better than anti-PD-1 antibody, but the treatment was devoid of treatment toxicity. These results provide proof-of-principal demonstration of the feasibility of using encapsulated delivery of a GSK3 inhibitor to provide cancer immunotherapy, with the possibility to be used as a monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy or other immunomodulatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean D Allen
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xiangsheng Liu
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jinhong Jiang
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Pei Liao
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chong Hyun Chang
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andre E Nel
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Huan Meng
- Department of Medicine, Division of NanoMedicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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39
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Cao Y, Wang X, Jin T, Tian Y, Dai C, Widarma C, Song R, Xu F. Immune checkpoint molecules in natural killer cells as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:250. [PMID: 33122640 PMCID: PMC7596531 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of natural killer (NK) cells in immunotherapy to treat multiple types of cancer. NK cells are innate lymphoid cells that play essential roles in tumor surveillance and control that efficiently kill the tumor and do not require the major histocompatibility complex. The discovery of the NK's potential as a promising therapeutic target for cancer is a relief to oncologists as they face the challenge of increased chemo-resistant cancers. NK cells show great potential against solid and hematologic tumors and have progressively shown promise as a therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. The effector role of these cells is reliant on the balance of inhibitory and activating signals. Understanding the role of various immune checkpoint molecules in the exhaustion and impairment of NK cells when their inhibitory receptors are excessively expressed is particularly important in cancer immunotherapy studies and clinical implementation. Emerging immune checkpoint receptors and molecules have been found to mediate NK cell dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment; this has brought up the need to explore further additional NK cell-related immune checkpoints that may be exploited to enhance the immune response to refractory cancers. Accordingly, this review will focus on the recent findings concerning the roles of immune checkpoint molecules and receptors in the regulation of NK cell function, as well as their potential application in tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- College of Life and Health Science, Northeastern University, 110819, Shenyang, China
| | - Tianqiang Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu Tian
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Chaoliu Dai
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China
| | - Crystal Widarma
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA
| | - Rui Song
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA.
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, 110004, Shenyang, China.
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40
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Establishment of an Endoscopy-Guided Minimally Invasive Orthotopic Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12103007. [PMID: 33081354 PMCID: PMC7650778 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12103007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Open orthotopic mouse models of colorectal cancer have disadvantages such as the requirement for advanced surgical skills or the trauma caused by laparotomy. To overcome these limitations, this study aimed to evaluate the establishment of an endoscopy-guided minimally invasive model without laparotomy. Different concentrations of the murine CRC cell lines CT26 and MC38 were endoscopically injected into the colorectal wall of BALB/C and C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Consistent tumor growth with the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, lympho-vascular invasion, and early spontaneous lymph node, peritoneal, and hepatic metastases were observed. Analysis of the learning curve demonstrated that this model is easy to learn and quick to establish. It enables intra-individual follow-up endoscopies, and features tumors to study mechanisms of metastasis and the interaction with the immune system. The application of specific cell lines and concentrations enables a controlled local tumor growth and metastatic formation within short observation periods. Abstract Open orthotopic mouse models of colorectal cancer have disadvantages such as the requirement for advanced surgical skills or the trauma caused by laparotomy. To overcome these drawbacks, this study aimed to evaluate the establishment of a minimally invasive model using murine colonoscopy. CT26 and MC38 CRC cells of different concentrations were injected into BALB/C and C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Follow-up endoscopies were performed to assign an endoscopic score to tumor growth. Gross autopsy, histologic and immuno-histochemical evaluation, and immune scoring were performed. To describe the learning curve of the procedures, a performance score was given. Local tumor growth with colorectal wall infiltration, luminal ulceration, the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, lympho-vascular invasion, and early spontaneous lymph node, peritoneal, and hepatic metastases were observed. The tumors showed cytoplasmic immuno-staining for CK20. Compared to the MC38/C57BL/6J model, tumorigenicity and immunogenicity of the CT26/BALB/C model were higher. Tumor volume correlated with the endoscopic score. This endoscopy-guided orthotopic mouse model is easy to learn and quick to establish. It features early metastasis and enables the study of interactions with the immune system. When specific cell concentrations and cell lines are applied, controlled local tumor growth and metastasis can be achieved within short observation periods.
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Blanas A, Zaal A, van der Haar Àvila I, Kempers M, Kruijssen L, de Kok M, Popovic MA, van der Horst JC, J. van Vliet S. FUT9-Driven Programming of Colon Cancer Cells towards a Stem Cell-Like State. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092580. [PMID: 32927726 PMCID: PMC7565653 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are located in dedicated niches, where they remain inert to chemotherapeutic drugs and drive metastasis. Although plasticity in the CSC pool is well appreciated, the molecular mechanisms implicated in the regulation of cancer stemness are still elusive. Here, we define a fucosylation-dependent reprogramming of colon cancer cells towards a stem cell-like phenotype and function. De novo transcriptional activation of Fut9 in the murine colon adenocarcinoma cell line, MC38, followed by RNA seq-based regulon analysis, revealed major gene regulatory networks related to stemness. Lewisx, Sox2, ALDH and CD44 expression, tumorsphere formation, resistance to 5-FU treatment and in vivo tumor growth were increased in FUT9-expressing MC38 cells compared to the control cells. Likewise, human CRC cell lines highly expressing FUT9 displayed phenotypic features of CSCs, which were significantly impaired upon FUT9 knock-out. Finally, in primary CRC FUT9+ tumor cells pathways related to cancer stemness were enriched, providing a clinically meaningful annotation of the complicity of FUT9 in stemness regulation and may open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
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Ding Y, Fan J, Deng L, Peng Y, Zhou B, Huang B. Evaluation of Tumor Specificity and Immunity of Thymidine Kinase-Deleted Vaccinia Virus Guang9 Strain. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:7683-7697. [PMID: 32801778 PMCID: PMC7415446 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s260288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Oncolytic viruses are emerging as promising options for clinical cancer treatment due to their inherent ability of tumor tropism and oncolytic property. Aside from tumor lysis, oncolytic viruses can induce host immune responses against tumor cells and may thus be viewed as a form of immunotherapy. Methods The attenuated vaccinia VG9-Luc, which originated from Chinese vaccinia Tian Tan strain, was constructed to express firefly luciferase for bioluminescence imaging and to disrupt the thymidine kinase gene for promoting tumor specificity. An in vivo bioluminescence imaging was performed to observe the virus distribution in live mice. The titers of neutralizing antiviral and antitumor antibodies in plasma were determined by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Results Except BALB/c mice treated with intravenous virus injection, all immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice showed obvious tumor targeting ability of vaccinia VG9-Luc. Besides, host immune response activated by vaccinia VG9-Luc showed the production of antiviral and antitumor antibodies, the process of which was similar between intravenous and intratumoral viral delivery systems. The results indicated that virus infection promoted tumor-specific immunity by increasing the production of antitumor antibodies. Moreover, virus reinjection was performed and a more rapid viral clearance was observed in immunocompetent mice compared with first virus infection. Conclusion The thymidine kinase-deleted vaccinia Guang9 strain, which has the properties of tumor specificity and antitumor immunity, is a promising candidate vector for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuedi Ding
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214063, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Fan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214063, People's Republic of China
| | - Lili Deng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214063, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Peng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214063, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214063, People's Republic of China
| | - Biao Huang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214063, People's Republic of China
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Oliver AJ, Darcy PK, Kershaw MH, Slaney CY. Tissue-specific tumour microenvironments are an emerging determinant of immunotherapy responses. J Thorac Dis 2020; 12:4504-4509. [PMID: 32944364 PMCID: PMC7475570 DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2020.03.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Oliver
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Phillip K Darcy
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael H Kershaw
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Clare Y Slaney
- Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Granzyme B PET Imaging of the Innate Immune Response. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 25:molecules25133102. [PMID: 32646038 PMCID: PMC7411671 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25133102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The human immune system is a complex system which protects against invaders and maintains tissue homeostasis. It is broadly divided into the innate and adaptive branches. Granzyme B is serine protease that plays an important role in both and can serve as a biomarker for cellular activation. Because of this, a granzyme B PET agent (GZP) has recently been developed and has been shown to be able to monitor response to immunotherapy. Here, we evaluated the utility of granzyme B PET imaging to assess the innate immune response. We subcutaneously administered LPS to mice to induce inflammation and performed granzyme B PET imaging after 24 and 120 h. We dissected out tissue in the region of injection and performed granzyme B immunofluorescence (IF) to confirm specificity of the GZP radiotracer. Granzyme B PET imaging demonstrated increased uptake in the region of LPS injection after 24 h, which normalized at 120 h. Granzyme B immunofluorescence showed specific staining in tissue from the 24 h time point compared to the PBS-injected control. These findings support the use of granzyme B PET for imaging innate immunity. In certain clinical contexts, the use of GZP PET imaging may be superior to currently available agents, and we therefore suggest further preclinical studies with the ultimate goal of translation to clinical use.
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Tran Chau V, Liu W, Gerbé de Thoré M, Meziani L, Mondini M, O'Connor MJ, Deutsch E, Clémenson C. Differential therapeutic effects of PARP and ATR inhibition combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of subcutaneous versus orthotopic lung tumour models. Br J Cancer 2020; 123:762-771. [PMID: 32546832 PMCID: PMC7463250 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-0931-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Subcutaneous mouse tumour models are widely used for the screening of novel antitumour treatments, although these models are poor surrogate models of human cancers. Methods We compared the antitumour efficacy of the combination of ionising radiation (IR) with two DNA damage response inhibitors, the PARP inhibitor olaparib and the ATR inhibitor AZD6738 (ceralasertib), in subcutaneous versus orthotopic cancer models. Results Olaparib delayed the growth of irradiated Lewis lung carcinoma (LL2) subcutaneous tumours, in agreement with previous reports in human cell lines. However, the olaparib plus IR combination showed a very narrow therapeutic window against LL2 lung orthotopic tumours, with nearly no additional antitumour effect compared with that of IR alone, and tolerability issues emerged at high doses. The addition of AZD6738 greatly enhanced the efficacy of the olaparib plus IR combination treatment against subcutaneous but not orthotopic LL2 tumours. Moreover, olaparib plus AZD6738 administration concomitant with IR even worsened the response to radiation of head and neck orthotopic tumours and induced mucositis. Conclusions These major differences in the responses to treatments between subcutaneous and orthotopic models highlight the importance of using more pathologically relevant models, such as syngeneic orthotopic models, to determine the most appropriate therapeutic approaches for translation to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Tran Chau
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France
| | - Winchygn Liu
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France
| | - Marine Gerbé de Thoré
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France
| | - Lydia Meziani
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France
| | - Michele Mondini
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France
| | - Mark J O'Connor
- Oncology Innovative Medicines and Early Clinical Development, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eric Deutsch
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France. .,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France. .,Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.
| | - Céline Clémenson
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiotherapy, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France. .,Labex LERMIT, DHU TORINO, SIRIC SOCRATE, Villejuif, France.
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Xu X, Lv J, Guo F, Li J, Jia Y, Jiang D, Wang N, Zhang C, Kong L, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Lv J, Li Z. Gut Microbiome Influences the Efficacy of PD-1 Antibody Immunotherapy on MSS-Type Colorectal Cancer via Metabolic Pathway. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:814. [PMID: 32425919 PMCID: PMC7212380 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) appears to be rather refractory to checkpoint blockers except the patient with deficient in mismatch repair (dMMR). Therefore, new advances in the treatment of most mismatch repair proficiency (pMMR) (also known as microsatellite stability, MSS) type of CRC patients are considered to be an important clinical issue associated with programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of gut microbiome of MSS-type CRC tumor-bearing mice treated with different antibiotics on PD-1 antibody immunotherapy response. Our results confirmed that the gut microbiome played a key role in the treatment of CT26 tumor-bearing mice with PD-1 antibody. After PD-1 antibody treatment, the injection of antibiotics counteracted the efficacy of PD-1 antibody in inhibiting tumor growth when compared with the Control group (mice were treated with sterile drinking water). Bacteroides_sp._CAG:927 and Bacteroidales_S24-7 were enriched in Control group. Bacteroides_sp._CAG:927, Prevotella_sp._CAG: 1031 and Bacteroides were enriched in Coli group [mice were treated with colistin (2 mg/ml)], Prevotella_sp._CAG:485 and Akkermansia_muciniphila were enriched in Vanc group [mice were treated with vancomycin alone (0.25 mg/ml)]. The metabolites were enriched in the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway consistent with the metagenomic prediction pathway in Vanc group, Prevotella_sp._CAG:485 and Akkermansia may maintain the normal efficacy of PD-1 antibody by affecting the metabolism of glycerophospholipid. Changes in gut microbiome leaded to changes in glycerophospholipid metabolism level, which may affect the expression of immune-related cytokines IFN-γ and IL-2 in the tumor microenvironment, resulting in a different therapeutic effect of PD-1 antibody. Our findings show that changes in the gut microbiome affect the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway, thereby regulating the therapeutic potential of PD-1 antibody in the immunotherapy of MSS-type CRC tumor-bearing mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjian Xu
- Second Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ji Lv
- Second Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Surgery, First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Fang Guo
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- College of Combine Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yitao Jia
- Third Department of Oncology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Da Jiang
- Department of Oncology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Na Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lingyu Kong
- College of Combine Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yabin Liu
- Second Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yanni Zhang
- Second Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jian Lv
- Second Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhongxin Li
- Second Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Tipanee J, Di Matteo M, Tulalamba W, Samara-Kuko E, Keirsse J, Van Ginderachter JA, Chuah MK, VandenDriessche T. Validation of miR-20a as a Tumor Suppressor Gene in Liver Carcinoma Using Hepatocyte-Specific Hyperactive piggyBac Transposons. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 19:1309-1329. [PMID: 32160703 PMCID: PMC7036702 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We established a semi-high-throughput in vivo screening platform using hyperactive piggyBac (hyPB) transposons (designated as PB-miR) to identify microRNAs (miRs) that inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in vivo, following miR overexpression in hepatocytes. PB-miRs encoding six different miRs from the miR-17-92 cluster and nine miRs from outside this cluster were transfected into mouse livers that were chemically induced to develop HCC. In this slow-onset HCC model, miR-20a significantly inhibited HCC. Next, we developed a more aggressive HCC model by overexpression of oncogenic Harvey rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (HRASG12V) and c-MYC oncogenes that accelerated HCC development after only 6 weeks. The tumor suppressor effect of miR-20a could be demonstrated even in this rapid-onset HRASG12V/c-MYC HCC model, consistent with significantly prolonged survival and decreased HCC tumor burden. Comprehensive RNA expression profiling of 95 selected genes typically associated with HCC development revealed differentially expressed genes and functional pathways that were associated with miR-20a-mediated HCC suppression. To our knowledge, this is the first study establishing a direct causal relationship between miR-20a overexpression and liver cancer inhibition in vivo. Moreover, these results demonstrate that hepatocyte-specific hyPB transposons are an efficient platform to screen and identify miRs that affect overall survival and HCC tumor regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaitip Tipanee
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mario Di Matteo
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Center for Molecular & Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Warut Tulalamba
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ermira Samara-Kuko
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jiri Keirsse
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jo A Van Ginderachter
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marinee Khim Chuah
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Center for Molecular & Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Thierry VandenDriessche
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Center for Molecular & Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Overgaard NH, Fan TM, Schachtschneider KM, Principe DR, Schook LB, Jungersen G. Of Mice, Dogs, Pigs, and Men: Choosing the Appropriate Model for Immuno-Oncology Research. ILAR J 2019; 59:247-262. [PMID: 30476148 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ily014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system plays dual roles in response to cancer. The host immune system protects against tumor formation via immunosurveillance; however, recognition of the tumor by immune cells also induces sculpting mechanisms leading to a Darwinian selection of tumor cell variants with reduced immunogenicity. Cancer immunoediting is the concept used to describe the complex interplay between tumor cells and the immune system. This concept, commonly referred to as the three E's, is encompassed by 3 distinct phases of elimination, equilibrium, and escape. Despite impressive results in the clinic, cancer immunotherapy still has room for improvement as many patients remain unresponsive to therapy. Moreover, many of the preclinical results obtained in the widely used mouse models of cancer are lost in translation to human patients. To improve the success rate of immuno-oncology research and preclinical testing of immune-based anticancer therapies, using alternative animal models more closely related to humans is a promising approach. Here, we describe 2 of the major alternative model systems: canine (spontaneous) and porcine (experimental) cancer models. Although dogs display a high rate of spontaneous tumor formation, an increased number of genetically modified porcine models exist. We suggest that the optimal immuno-oncology model may depend on the stage of cancer immunoediting in question. In particular, the spontaneous canine tumor models provide a unique platform for evaluating therapies aimed at the escape phase of cancer, while genetically engineered swine allow for elucidation of tumor-immune cell interactions especially during the phases of elimination and equilibrium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana H Overgaard
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Timothy M Fan
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
| | | | - Daniel R Principe
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lawrence B Schook
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
| | - Gregers Jungersen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Leystra AA, Clapper ML. Gut Microbiota Influences Experimental Outcomes in Mouse Models of Colorectal Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10110900. [PMID: 31703321 PMCID: PMC6895921 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Mouse models are a valuable resource for use throughout the development and testing of new therapeutic strategies for CRC. Tumorigenesis and response to therapy in humans and mouse models alike are influenced by the microbial communities that colonize the gut. Differences in the composition of the gut microbiota can confound experimental findings and reduce the replicability and translatability of the resulting data. Despite this, the contribution of resident microbiota to preclinical tumor models is often underappreciated. This review does the following: (1) summarizes evidence that the gut microbiota influence CRC disease phenotypes; (2) outlines factors that can influence the composition of the gut microbiota; and (3) provides strategies that can be incorporated into the experimental design, to account for the influence of the microbiota on intestinal phenotypes in mouse models of CRC. Through careful experimental design and documentation, mouse models can continue to rapidly advance efforts to prevent and treat colon cancer.
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50
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Kristensen LK, Fröhlich C, Christensen C, Melander MC, Poulsen TT, Galler GR, Lantto J, Horak ID, Kragh M, Nielsen CH, Kjaer A. CD4 + and CD8a + PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics 2019; 9:8221-8238. [PMID: 31754392 PMCID: PMC6857046 DOI: 10.7150/thno.37513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting the outcome of immunotherapy is essential for efficient treatment. The recent clinical success of immunotherapy is increasingly changing the paradigm of cancer treatment. Accordingly, the development of immune-based agents is accelerating and the number of agents in the global immuno-oncology pipeline has grown 60-70% over the past year. However, despite remarkable clinical efficacy in some patients, only few achieve a lasting clinical response. Treatment failure can be attributed to poorly immunogenic tumors that do not attract tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Therefore, we developed positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers for non-invasive detection of CD4+ and CD8a+ TILs in syngeneic mouse tumor models for preclinical studies. Methods: Seven syngeneic mouse tumor models (B16F10, P815, CT26, MC38, Renca, 4T1, Sa1N) were quantified for CD4+ and CD8a+ TILs using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as for tumor growth response to Sym021, a humanized PD-1 antibody cross-reactive with mouse PD-1. Radiotracers were generated from F(ab)'2 fragments of rat-anti-mouse CD4 and CD8a antibodies conjugated to the p-SCN-Bn-Desferrioxamine (SCN-Bn-DFO) chelator and radiolabeled with Zirconium-89 (89Zr-DFO-CD4/89Zr-DFO-CD8a). Tracers were optimized for in vivo PET/CT imaging in CT26 tumor-bearing mice and specificity was evaluated by depletion studies and isotype control imaging. 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a PET/CT imaging was conducted in the panel of syngeneic mouse models prior to immunotherapy with Sym021. Results: Syngeneic tumor models were characterized as "hot" or "cold" according to number of TILs determined by flow cytometry and IHC. 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a were successfully generated with a radiochemical purity >99% and immunoreactivity >85%. The optimal imaging time-point was 24 hours post-injection of ~1 MBq tracer with 30 µg non-labeled co-dose. Reduced tumor and spleen uptake of 89Zr-DFO-CD8a was observed in CD8a+ depleted mice and the uptake was comparable with that of isotype control (89Zr-DFO-IgG2b) confirming specificity. PET imaging in syngeneic tumor models revealed a varying maximum tumor-to-heart ratio of 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a across tumor types and in-between subjects that correlated with individual response to Sym021 at day 10 relative to start of therapy (p=0.0002 and p=0.0354, respectively). The maximum 89Zr-DFO-CD4 tumor-to-heart ratio could be used to stratify mice according to Sym021 therapy response and overall survival was improved in mice with a 89Zr-DFO-CD4 ratio >9 (p=0.0018). Conclusion: We developed 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a PET radiotracers for specific detection and whole-body assessment of CD4+ and CD8a+ status. These radiotracers can be used to phenotype preclinical syngeneic mouse tumor models and to predict response to an immune checkpoint inhibitor. We foresee development of such non-invasive in vivo biomarkers for prediction and evaluation of clinical efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents, such as Sym021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte K. Kristensen
- Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Camilla Christensen
- Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carsten H. Nielsen
- Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Kjaer
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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