1
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Bolivar AM, Duzagac F, Sinha KM, Vilar E. Advances in vaccine development for cancer prevention and treatment in Lynch Syndrome. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 93:101204. [PMID: 37478804 PMCID: PMC10528439 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101204] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Lynch Syndrome (LS) is one of the most common hereditary cancer syndromes, and is caused by mutations in one of the four DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes, namely MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2. Tumors developed by LS carriers display high levels of microsatellite instability, which leads to the accumulation of large numbers of mutations, among which frameshift insertion/deletions (indels) within microsatellite (MS) loci are the most common. As a result, MMR-deficient (MMRd) cells generate increased rates of tumor-specific neoantigens (neoAgs) that can be recognized by the immune system to activate cancer cell killing. In this context, LS is an ideal disease to leverage immune-interception strategies. Therefore, the identification of these neoAgs is an ongoing effort for the development of LS cancer preventive vaccines. In this review, we summarize the computational methods used for in silico neoAg prediction, including their challenges, and the experimental techniques used for in vitro validation of their immunogenicity. In addition, we outline results from past and on-going vaccine clinical trials and highlight avenues for improvement and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Bolivar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fahriye Duzagac
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Krishna M Sinha
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Mestrallet G, Brown M, Bozkus CC, Bhardwaj N. Immune escape and resistance to immunotherapy in mismatch repair deficient tumors. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1210164. [PMID: 37492581 PMCID: PMC10363668 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to 30% of colorectal, endometrial and gastric cancers have a deficiency in mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression due to either germline or epigenetic inactivation. Patients with Lynch Syndrome who inherit an inactive MMR allele have an up to 80% risk for developing a mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) cancer. Due to an inability to repair DNA, MMRd tumors present with genomic instability in microsatellite regions (MS). Tumors with high MS instability (MSI-H) are characterized by an increased frequency of insertion/deletions (indels) that can encode novel neoantigens if they occur in coding regions. The high tumor antigen burden for MMRd cancers is accompanied by an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) that contributes to the clinical effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy in this patient population. However, between 40 and 70% of MMRd cancer patients do not respond to treatment with PD-1 blockade, suggesting that tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic resistance mechanisms may affect the success of checkpoint blockade. Immune evasion mechanisms that occur during early tumorigenesis and persist through cancer development may provide a window into resistance pathways that limit the effectiveness of anti-PD-1 therapy. Here, we review the mechanisms of immune escape in MMRd tumors during development and checkpoint blockade treatment, including T cell dysregulation and myeloid cell-mediated immunosuppression in the TME. Finally, we discuss the development of new therapeutic approaches to tackle resistance in MMRd tumors, including cancer vaccines, therapies targeting immunosuppressive myeloid programs, and immune checkpoint combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Mestrallet
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Brown
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cansu Cimen Bozkus
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Hess Center for Science & Medicine, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Extramural member, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, United States
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3
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Biswas K, Mohammed A, Sharan SK, Shoemaker RH. Genetically engineered mouse models for hereditary cancer syndromes. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:1800-1815. [PMID: 36715493 PMCID: PMC10154891 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15737] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in molecular diagnostics have led to improved diagnosis and molecular understanding of hereditary cancers in the clinic. Improving the management, treatment, and potential prevention of cancers in carriers of predisposing mutations requires preclinical experimental models that reflect the key pathogenic features of the specific syndrome associated with the mutations. Numerous genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of hereditary cancer have been developed. In this review, we describe the models of Lynch syndrome and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, the two most common hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. We focus on Lynch syndrome models as illustrative of the potential for using mouse models to devise improved approaches to prevention of cancer in a high-risk population. GEM models are an invaluable tool for hereditary cancer models. Here, we review GEM models for some hereditary cancers and their potential use in cancer prevention studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajal Biswas
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Altaf Mohammed
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Shyam K Sharan
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert H Shoemaker
- Chemopreventive Agent Development Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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4
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Tosti E, Almeida AS, Tran TT, Barbachan e Silva M, Broin PÓ, Dubin R, Chen K, Beck AP, Mclellan AS, Vilar E, Golden A, O’Toole PW, Edelmann W. Loss of MMR and TGFBR2 Increases the Susceptibility to Microbiota-Dependent Inflammation-Associated Colon Cancer. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 14:693-717. [PMID: 35688320 PMCID: PMC9421583 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes are causative in Lynch syndrome and a significant proportion of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRCs). MMR-deficient (dMMR) CRCs display increased mutation rates, with mutations frequently accumulating at short repetitive DNA sequences throughout the genome (microsatellite instability). The TGFBR2 gene is one of the most frequently mutated genes in dMMR CRCs. Therefore, we generated an animal model to study how the loss of both TGFBR2 signaling impacts dMMR-driven intestinal tumorigenesis in vivo and explore the impact of the gut microbiota. METHODS We generated VCMsh2/Tgfbr2 mice in which Msh2loxP and Tgfbr2loxP alleles are inactivated by Villin-Cre recombinase in the intestinal epithelium. VCMsh2/Tgfbr2 mice were analyzed for their rate of intestinal cancer development and for the mutational spectra and gene expression profiles of tumors. In addition, we assessed the impact of chemically induced chronic inflammation and gut microbiota composition on colorectal tumorigenesis. RESULTS VCMsh2/Tgfbr2 mice developed small intestinal adenocarcinomas and CRCs with histopathological features highly similar to CRCs in Lynch syndrome patients. The CRCs in VCMsh2/Tgfbr2 mice were associated with the presence of colitis and displayed genetic and histological features that resembled inflammation-associated CRCs in human patients. The development of CRCs in VCMsh2/Tgfbr2 mice was strongly modulated by the gut microbiota composition, which in turn was impacted by the TGFBR2 status of the tumors. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate a synergistic interaction between MMR and TGFBR2 inactivation in inflammation-associated colon tumorigenesis and highlight the crucial impact of the gut microbiota on modulating the incidence of inflammation-associated CRCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Tosti
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Elena Tosti, PhD, Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461. fax: 718-430-8574
| | - Ana S. Almeida
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Tam T.T. Tran
- University of Science and Technology of Hanoi, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Mariel Barbachan e Silva
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Pilib Ó. Broin
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Robert Dubin
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Ken Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Amanda P. Beck
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Andrew S. Mclellan
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Aaron Golden
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Paul W. O’Toole
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Winfried Edelmann
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York,Winfried Edelmann, PhD, Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1301 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461. fax: 718-430-8574.
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5
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Hernandez-Sanchez A, Grossman M, Yeung K, Sei SS, Lipkin S, Kloor M. Vaccines for immunoprevention of DNA mismatch repair deficient cancers. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e004416. [PMID: 35732349 PMCID: PMC9226910 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-004416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of cancer vaccines to induce tumor-antigen specific immune responses was sparked by the identification of antigens specific to or overexpressed in cancer cells. However, weak immunogenicity and the mutational heterogeneity in many cancers have dampened cancer vaccine successes. With increasing information about mutational landscapes of cancers, mutational neoantigens can be predicted computationally to elicit strong immune responses by CD8 +cytotoxic T cells as major mediators of anticancer immune response. Neoantigens are potentially more robust immunogens and have revived interest in cancer vaccines. Cancers with deficiency in DNA mismatch repair have an exceptionally high mutational burden, including predictable neoantigens. Lynch syndrome is the most common inherited cancer syndrome and is caused by DNA mismatch repair gene mutations. Insertion and deletion mutations in coding microsatellites that occur during DNA replication include tumorigenesis drivers. The induced shift of protein reading frame generates neoantigens that are foreign to the immune system. Mismatch repair-deficient cancers and Lynch syndrome represent a paradigm population for the development of a preventive cancer vaccine, as the mutations induced by mismatch repair deficiency are predictable, resulting in a defined set of frameshift peptide neoantigens. Furthermore, Lynch syndrome mutation carriers constitute an identifiable high-risk population. We discuss the pathogenesis of DNA mismatch repair deficient cancers, in both Lynch syndrome and sporadic microsatellite-unstable cancers. We review evidence for pre-existing immune surveillance, the three mechanisms of immune evasion that occur in cancers and assess the implications of a preventive frameshift peptide neoantigen-based vaccine. We consider both preclinical and clinical experience to date. We discuss the feasibility of a cancer preventive vaccine for Lynch syndrome carriers and review current antigen selection and delivery strategies. Finally, we propose RNA vaccines as having robust potential for immunoprevention of Lynch syndrome cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Hernandez-Sanchez
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, University Hospital Heidelberg Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark Grossman
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kevin Yeung
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shizuko S Sei
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven Lipkin
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Matthias Kloor
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Institute of Pathology, Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
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6
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Gebert J, Gelincik O, Oezcan-Wahlbrink M, Marshall JD, Hernandez-Sanchez A, Urban K, Long M, Cortes E, Tosti E, Katzenmaier EM, Song Y, Elsaadi A, Deng N, Vilar E, Fuchs V, Nelius N, Yuan YP, Ahadova A, Sei S, Shoemaker RH, Umar A, Wei L, Liu S, Bork P, Edelmann W, von Knebel Doeberitz M, Lipkin SM, Kloor M. Recurrent Frameshift Neoantigen Vaccine Elicits Protective Immunity With Reduced Tumor Burden and Improved Overall Survival in a Lynch Syndrome Mouse Model. Gastroenterology 2021; 161:1288-1302.e13. [PMID: 34224739 PMCID: PMC10184299 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.06.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS DNA mismatch repair deficiency drives microsatellite instability (MSI). Cells with MSI accumulate numerous frameshift mutations. Frameshift mutations affecting cancer-related genes may promote tumorigenesis and, therefore, are shared among independently arising MSI tumors. Consequently, such recurrent frameshift mutations can give rise to shared immunogenic frameshift peptides (FSPs) that represent ideal candidates for a vaccine against MSI cancer. Pathogenic germline variants of mismatch repair genes cause Lynch syndrome (LS), a hereditary cancer syndrome affecting approximately 20-25 million individuals worldwide. Individuals with LS are at high risk of developing MSI cancer. Previously, we demonstrated safety and immunogenicity of an FSP-based vaccine in a phase I/IIa clinical trial in patients with a history of MSI colorectal cancer. However, the cancer-preventive effect of FSP vaccination in the scenario of LS has not yet been demonstrated. METHODS A genome-wide database of 488,235 mouse coding mononucleotide repeats was established, from which a set of candidates was selected based on repeat length, gene expression, and mutation frequency. In silico prediction, in vivo immunogenicity testing, and epitope mapping was used to identify candidates for FSP vaccination. RESULTS We identified 4 shared FSP neoantigens (Nacad [FSP-1], Maz [FSP-1], Senp6 [FSP-1], Xirp1 [FSP-1]) that induced CD4/CD8 T cell responses in naïve C57BL/6 mice. Using VCMsh2 mice, which have a conditional knockout of Msh2 in the intestinal tract and develop intestinal cancer, we showed vaccination with a combination of only 4 FSPs significantly increased FSP-specific adaptive immunity, reduced intestinal tumor burden, and prolonged overall survival. Combination of FSP vaccination with daily naproxen treatment potentiated immune response, delayed tumor growth, and prolonged survival even more effectively than FSP vaccination alone. CONCLUSIONS Our preclinical findings support a clinical strategy of recurrent FSP neoantigen vaccination for LS cancer immunoprevention.
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MESH Headings
- Adjuvants, Immunologic/pharmacology
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology
- Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics
- Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology
- Antigens, Neoplasm/pharmacology
- Cancer Vaccines/genetics
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cancer Vaccines/pharmacology
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis/drug therapy
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis/genetics
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis/immunology
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis/pathology
- Databases, Genetic
- Disease Models, Animal
- Epitopes
- Frameshift Mutation
- Immunity, Cellular/drug effects
- Immunity, Humoral/drug effects
- Immunogenetic Phenomena
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- MutS Homolog 2 Protein/genetics
- Naproxen/pharmacology
- Peptide Fragments/genetics
- Peptide Fragments/immunology
- Peptide Fragments/pharmacology
- Tumor Burden/drug effects
- Tumor Microenvironment
- Vaccination
- Vaccine Efficacy
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Gebert
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Mine Oezcan-Wahlbrink
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jason D Marshall
- Cancer ImmunoPrevention Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Alejandro Hernandez-Sanchez
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katharina Urban
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark Long
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Eduardo Cortes
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Elena Tosti
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Eva-Maria Katzenmaier
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yurong Song
- Cancer ImmunoPrevention Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ali Elsaadi
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Nan Deng
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Vera Fuchs
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nina Nelius
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yan P Yuan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aysel Ahadova
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shizuko Sei
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Robert H Shoemaker
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Asad Umar
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lei Wei
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Peer Bork
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany; Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Edelmann
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Magnus von Knebel Doeberitz
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Matthias Kloor
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
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7
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Patients with Lynch syndrome have a high probability of developing colorectal and other carcinomas. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the immunologic aspects of Lynch syndrome pathogenesis and provides an overview of potential immune interventions for patients with Lynch syndrome polyps and Lynch syndrome-associated carcinomas. RECENT FINDINGS Immunogenic properties of the majority of Lynch syndrome polyps and associated cancers include microsatellite instability leading to a high mutational burden and the development of novel frameshift peptides, i.e., neoantigens. In addition, patients with Lynch syndrome develop T cell responses in the periphery and in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to tumor-associated antigens, and a proinflammatory cytokine TME has also been identified. However, Lynch syndrome lesions also possess immunosuppressive entities such as alterations in MHC class I antigen presentation, TGFβ receptor mutations, regulatory T cells, and upregulation of PD-L1 on tumor-associated lymphocytes. The rich immune microenvironment of Lynch syndrome polyps and associated carcinomas provides an opportunity to employ the spectrum of immune-mediating agents now available to induce and enhance host immune responses and/or to also reduce immunosuppressive entities. These agents can be employed in the so-called prevention trials for the treatment of patients with Lynch syndrome polyps and for trials in patients with Lynch syndrome-associated cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Pastor
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- NIH Hematology Oncology Fellowship Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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8
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Reyes-Uribe L, Wu W, Gelincik O, Bommi PV, Francisco-Cruz A, Solis LM, Lynch PM, Lim R, Stoffel EM, Kanth P, Samadder NJ, Mork ME, Taggart MW, Milne GL, Marnett LJ, Vornik L, Liu DD, Revuelta M, Chang K, You YN, Kopelovich L, Wistuba II, Lee JJ, Sei S, Shoemaker RH, Szabo E, Richmond E, Umar A, Perloff M, Brown PH, Lipkin SM, Vilar E. Naproxen chemoprevention promotes immune activation in Lynch syndrome colorectal mucosa. Gut 2021; 70:555-566. [PMID: 32641470 PMCID: PMC7790993 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-320946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients with Lynch syndrome (LS) are at markedly increased risk for colorectal cancer. It is being increasingly recognised that the immune system plays an essential role in LS tumour development, thus making an ideal target for cancer prevention. Our objective was to evaluate the safety, assess the activity and discover novel molecular pathways involved in the activity of naproxen as primary and secondary chemoprevention in patients with LS. DESIGN We conducted a Phase Ib, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial of two dose levels of naproxen sodium (440 and 220 mg) administered daily for 6 months to 80 participants with LS, and a co-clinical trial using a genetically engineered mouse model of LS and patient-derived organoids (PDOs). RESULTS Overall, the total number of adverse events was not different across treatment arms with excellent tolerance of the intervention. The level of prostaglandin E2 in the colorectal mucosa was significantly decreased after treatment with naproxen when compared with placebo. Naproxen activated different resident immune cell types without any increase in lymphoid cellularity, and changed the expression patterns of the intestinal crypt towards epithelial differentiation and stem cell regulation. Naproxen demonstrated robust chemopreventive activity in a mouse co-clinical trial and gene expression profiles induced by naproxen in humans showed perfect discrimination of mice specimens with LS and PDOs treated with naproxen and control. CONCLUSIONS Naproxen is a promising strategy for immune interception in LS. We have discovered naproxen-induced gene expression profiles for their potential use as predictive biomarkers of drug activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER gov Identifier: NCT02052908.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Reyes-Uribe
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wenhui Wu
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Prashant V Bommi
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alejandro Francisco-Cruz
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Luisa M Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Patrick M Lynch
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ramona Lim
- Department of Gastroenterology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elena M Stoffel
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Priyanka Kanth
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - N Jewel Samadder
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Maureen E Mork
- Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Melissa W Taggart
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ginger L Milne
- Departments of Biochemistry, Medicine and Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lawrence J Marnett
- Departments of Biochemistry, Medicine and Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lana Vornik
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Diane D Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Kyle Chang
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Y Nancy You
- Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Ignacio I Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - J Jack Lee
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Shizuko Sei
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert H Shoemaker
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eva Szabo
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ellen Richmond
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Asad Umar
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Marjorie Perloff
- Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Powel H Brown
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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9
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Willis JA, Reyes-Uribe L, Chang K, Lipkin SM, Vilar E. Immune Activation in Mismatch Repair-Deficient Carcinogenesis: More Than Just Mutational Rate. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 26:11-17. [PMID: 31383734 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-0856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient colorectal cancers (dMMR colorectal cancer) are characterized by the expression of highly immunogenic neoantigen peptides, which stimulate lymphocytic infiltration as well as upregulation of inflammatory cytokines. These features are key to understanding why immunotherapy (specifically PD-1 and/or CTLA-4 checkpoint blockade) has proved to be highly effective for the treatment of patients with advanced dMMR colorectal cancer. Importantly, preclinical studies also suggest that this correlation between potent tumor neoantigens and the immune microenvironment is present in early (premalignant) stages of dMMR colorectal tumorigenesis as well, even in the absence of a high somatic mutation burden. Here, we discuss recent efforts to characterize how neoantigens and the tumor immune microenvironment coevolve throughout the dMMR adenoma-to-carcinoma pathway. We further highlight how this preclinical evidence forms the rational basis for developing novel immunotherapy-based colorectal cancer prevention strategies for patients with Lynch syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Willis
- Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Laura Reyes-Uribe
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kyle Chang
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Steven M Lipkin
- Department of Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Eduardo Vilar
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. .,MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
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